You and I
by Bm89
Summary: Tuckson fluff. Beginning around Unholiest Alliance. Rating subject to change w/ future chapters. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Takes place around Unholiest Alliance. I've chosen not to address the drinking in this chapter, but am toying with it for the next one or a different fic altogether. Characters aren't mine, and may be a touch OOC considering this is a light piece. Any errors are mine.**

 **Thx to MarigoldMusings/ Fid2916 for subliminally motivating me to get back into fanfic writing. I hope this doesn't suck!**

 **Find me on twitter bonosaurus. #Tuckson. That is all.**

" _I got a funny feeling, everything's gonna be okay. All of my worries, suddenly fading away…."_

– _Jon McLaughlin, 'You and I'_

"GO, GO GO! Shoot! Shoot!"

Olivia was poised outside of her apartment door ready to slide the key in the lock when she heard Ed's muffled yelling from the other side of the door. Before she had an opportunity to reach for her weapon in alarm, she heard Noah's squeals of excitement, and smiled to herself as she opened the door. Setting the takeout she'd picked up on the floor as she hung her coat on the rack, she glanced over at the couch and saw Ed sitting on the edge of the couch cushion, Noah standing between his knees. Ed was gesturing at the screen and trying to explain in simple enough terms for Noah to understand what was going on. The sight touched her and she took the opportunity of putting her gun and badge in the entry table drawer to get her emotions in check.

It was Saturday night, and after she got called in to work for a few hours to help while Dodds was at a training session in Quantico, they were spending the rest of the evening in, just the three of them: Olivia and her boys.

"What are you guys watching?" She retrieved the bag of takeout from the floor and walked further into the living room. She turned to look at the TV before chucking, looking to Tucker. "Hockey, Ed? Really? What would the Yankees say if they knew about this?"

Ed tore his gaze from the TV and smirked at her. When she walked around the back of the couch to lean in for a kiss, he reclined against the cushions and angled his head to be closer to her reach. Their lips met in a sweet, chaste kiss and she softly stroked the side of his face with her free hand as she pulled away.

"What they don't know won't hurt them." She laughed, and made her way toward the kitchen to divvy up their dinner. "Besides, baseball hasn't started yet, football is over, and college basketball just ended. My options are limited and I refuse to watch golf."

"And thank God for that. I can't stand golf." Olivia got plates out of the cabinet, dividing up the Szechuan chicken and vegetables onto two plates for her and Ed before putting an egg roll on a smaller plate for Noah. "Noah, bring Mommy your cup. Two hands, please."

After some gentle prodding from Ed, Noah tore himself away from the action on the screen and walked to where Olivia stood in the kitchen. She refilled his drink before setting his prepped food on the toddler table in the living room and getting him situated to eat dinner. She then retrieved hers and Ed's plates and brought them to the coffee table, opting for an informal setting tonight so they could all relax.

"How's the squad?"

Ed slid a hand to her lower back, rubbing circles across the material of her shirt and she leaned into him in subtle acknowledgement of the gesture before responding, "Good. Carisi is still under at the shelter. We're getting closer; hopefully he can get something soon."

"He needs to be careful."

"You sound like Rollins." She smiled and nudged his shoulder with her own. "She's worried about him. He'll be okay, though. He's a good detective."

"When does your Sergeant come back?"

"This week."

Ed nodded. "He did pretty good running the show for you." He chuckled when he saw the look Olivia was giving him. "Oh, come on. Obviously no one can fill your shoes, but you gotta admit – he didn't burn the place down."

"Look at you, Captain. You were ready to tear him a new one before Carisi got Eugene to turn on the Church." Olivia nudged him again and winked at him before returning her attention to the TV. "You're right, though. He did keep it together pretty well in my absence. I've got a good team." Just then, Noah got up from his seat to dance to a car commercial that was on the TV, getting more into his little jig when Olivia and Ed starting laughing and cheering him on.

It was nice getting back into the normal routine of their lives following the case that saw Ed framed for murder and sex trafficking and her ousted from her Command at SVU. It was a trying time for them, but her squad came through to clear Ed's name, and they were both back to business as usual. It was a weight lifted off their shoulders, for sure, and she enjoyed being able to kick back and just hang with her guys.

###

The evening wound down and after spending most of the game running, jumping and screaming at the TV (sometimes necessarily and sometimes just to get a laugh out of his mom and Ed), Noah had thoroughly worn himself out and was fighting sleep on the floor, a pillow from the couch under his head.

Olivia got up and cleared plates, depositing them in the kitchen before heading back over to the living room and gathering her sleepy boy in her arms. "Alright, sleepy. Bedtime! Say goodnight to Ed."

Noah wiped at his eyes before mumbling goodnight to his mom's companion, clearly exhausted but not at all ready to be excused from the party. Ed got up from the couch and ruffled the boy's hair, "Goodnight, kiddo." He let his hand drop from Noah's head to Olivia's arm, giving it a small squeeze as he followed her from the living room area, detouring to the kitchen to finish cleaning up while she turned to bring Noah into his bedroom.

Olivia read Noah a story, getting about halfway through it before she looked up to see that he was sacked out. She ran the back of her finger across his cheek and whispered softly, "Goodnight, my sweet boy. Mommy loves you."

After closing door, she went back into the living room to find Ed lounging on the couch, tucked into the far side with his legs outstretched in front of him and his feet on the coffee table.

"Thanks for cleaning up." He smiled at her as she went to sit next to him, lifting his left arm and wrapping it around her shoulder as she nestled into his side.

These were some of the moments she treasured most in their relationship. She had never in her life felt the need to be swept off her feet, but it amazed her how these quiet simple moments with him often had her heart full-to-bursting with – _dare she say it?_ \- love. She sighed softly and reached up linking the fingers in her left hand with the hand the hung near her shoulder. She turned her head into his neck, planting a soft kiss on the skin of his neck just above the collar on his shirt.

Feeling her lips on his neck, he squeezed her shoulder softly and kissed the top of her head. Gesturing toward the TV, which was now on some old movie she hadn't seen before, he asked, "This okay?"

Olivia nodded, supplementing her assent with a soft, "Mhmm." Moving her thumb against the palm of his hand, she said, "Noah seemed to enjoy watching the hockey."

Ed chuckled. "Yeah, he saw it when I was flipping channels before and I thought I'd leave it on for a bit when he seemed to take to it." He chanced a sidelong glance in her direction. "Tonight was nice."

She smiled up at him at that comment. Tonight _had_ been nice. It seemed like they had just barely gotten somewhat settled in their relationship before Barba had outed them to 1-P.P. and everything got sent into a tailspin while SVU investigated the case under Dodds Jr.'s command. Boy, was she glad that was over. Even with her being temporarily relieved of her SVU duties, she wasn't sure who in her squad knew about her and Ed's relationship and who didn't, apart from Dodds Jr. at least. Olivia knew at some point that it was going to come up, and it probably wasn't going to go over well, but if she could get past the history with Ed, certainly her squad could; especially once they saw that he made her happy.

They'd grown closer over the past year and a half or so and she felt content in her assessment that he _had_ softened from the cold, gruff man she'd dealt with in their past. She saw a chink in the armor in the aftermath of Lewis killing himself, but after the fiasco with Nick's father, she found herself wanting to know more of Ed Tucker the Man as opposed to Ed Tucker the IAB Captain. In peeling back the layers, she found a kind, compassionate, sensitive soul; one that she could see a future with.

Olivia had never _wanted_ to end up alone in life, although her luck in prior relationships seemed sure to dictate that she would. But bringing Noah into her world made her yearn for permanence in her relationships that she hadn't been able to achieve before. She loved that little boy with every fiber of her being, but she wanted him to have more stability than what she had growing up. Nothing made this clearer for her than the hostage situation Ed helped her out of earlier this year. She had to suppress a shudder thinking about that, what it could've done to Noah if Joe had seized any one of the multiple opportunities he had to shoot her that day. Her relationship with Ed had already begun to shift by that time, but it wasn't solid or sure enough for him to take responsibility for her son if anything had happened to her. Besides, she had to think that Noah had suffered enough loss already.

Fast forward a few months, and now she was beginning to see Ed as a potential father figure to her son. There had been plenty of times recently where, just like tonight, she would come home to Tucker and Noah. They didn't live together – it was still too soon for that – but there was a comfort level there. She'd cleared out some space for his clothes in her bedroom so he didn't feel like he was living out of overnight bags. Noah enjoyed being around Ed. Olivia had even gotten him to call Tucker "Mr. Ed" at one point or another, much to his chagrin.

This relationship with Ed was the first one in a while that she actually saw going somewhere. Dating as a single parent certainly changed the playing field for her, but she had found an equal in him. He cared about her son just as much as he cared about her, and for the first time in a long time, she had no desire to run.

###

By midweek, Olivia was waist-deep in her first case back as Lieutenant & they were close to nailing their perp. It was a tough case – they all were – but she was finding her rhythm again being back among her squad. There was nothing like a temporary assignment to make you appreciate your job that much more. She would not have lasted long if she had been relegated to Community Affairs on a more permanent arrangement. Serious reservations about the uniform aside, the people there damn near drove her crazy.

Olivia was mildly surprised when she saw Ed enter the squad room and make his way to her office late one morning.

As he entered, she pushed her glasses to the top of her head and smiled at him. "Captain Tucker. Should I be nervous?" There was a slight teasing tone to her voice; after what they just endured, she knew that if IAB had a reason to investigate her squad, they would not be sending Tucker – not now that 1-P.P. knew of their involvement.

Ed shut the door behind him and the corner of his mouth lifted in the subtlest of smirks. "Social call, Lieutenant." He sat on the couch on the far side of her office and she left the chair behind her desk to join him. She stayed a professional distance away, however, as the blinds were open on her windows and the last thing they needed were accusations of impropriety. "I was thinking -"

"Uh-oh..." His eyes narrowed at her and she smirked at him. "Go on, you were thinking...?"

"What do you think about taking Noah to a Rangers game? He seemed to enjoy watching it the other night; might be fun for him to watch in person."

"I think that's a great idea, actually. He's never been to a sporting event before." Olivia smiled at him. "Am I invited or is this a boys-only outing?"

Ed pretended to think about it, then acquiesced, "Since you asked nicely, I guess I could get you a ticket too."

"Gee, thanks." Olivia rolled her eyes and swatted his chest.

"There's a home game this weekend. Sound good?"

"It's a date."

He got up to leave and when she walked him to the door, she peeked through the window to make sure no one was looking before she leaned in and touched her lips to his. The mischievous glint in his eye giving away his delight at her unexpected, though not necessarily public, display of affection.

"Have a good day, Lieutenant."

And with that, he left the SVU squad room and headed back to his office to see about getting tickets to the upcoming Rangers game.

###

Saturday evening rolled around and Ed, Olivia and Noah made their way to Madison Square Garden about an hour before puck-drop so Noah could get the full experience. Considering neither Ed nor Olivia had followed hockey much before, Ed had gone out the day before and bought sweatshirts and beanies for all 3 of them, since it could get cold inside the arena.

When they arrived, Ed and Olivia took Noah down to the lower level so he could watch the players during their practice-skate on the ice. Noah delighted in seeing the action up-close-and-personal, and was even handed a puck through a hole in the glass from one of the players. Their evening had only just begun and already she could tell that her little boy's mind had been blown.

She had hung back taking pictures, but when it was time for the teams to go back into the locker rooms, Noah ran up to where she was standing just a few rows back, eyes wide with the biggest grin on his face that she'd ever seen. "Momma! Momma! Puck!"

Olivia knelt down to his level and kissed his forehead. "I see, Noah! Do you want me to hold onto that for you?" She reached her hand out for it but Noah was possessive, not willing to give it up just yet. He tucked it away from her under his arm, a challenging look in his eyes as he shook his head.

"Mine, momma!"

Olivia laughed, looking over her son's head to meet Tucker's smiling eyes, "Okay, bud. Just let me know if you get sick of carrying it. Don't lose it, okay?" She stood and grabbed Noah's hand that wasn't held in a death-grip around the hockey puck in one of her own, and turned to leave the lower level in search of the escalators that would take them to their seats. She didn't take two steps before she felt the warmth of Ed's hand wrap around her free one. She looked up at him and smiled before squeezing his hand softly. "Shall we?"

##

Ed had gotten them great seats. They were in the upper level, but were nearly center-ice and were close to the railing, so Noah would be able to see everything without obstruction.

Ed left Olivia and Noah to go get snacks and a drink once they were settled, and Olivia watched as Noah made friends with a little girl that was in the seats next to theirs. She kept him under her adoring gaze as he danced with the girl to the pre-game music being blasted on the speakers. She was mystified by the innocence in Noah at this age and thanked God that despite the enormous challenges he'd already had to face in his short life, they had all happened when he was still young enough to not be aware that his infancy was anything but normal.

"Hold this?" She turned to see a water bottle in front of her face and took it from Ed as he sat down immediately to her right.

Smiling, "Thanks, babe. This was a great idea. He's loving every minute of it."

"I'm glad he's having fun." Ed turned to watch Noah, still dancing with his new friend, though by now the song had changed. "How far into this do you think he's gonna make it?" He eyed her with a knowing smirk.

She scoffed, "Ha! We'll see how things look at the end of the 2nd quarter." She winced at Ed's face and corrected herself, "Period?" And then deadpanning, "Can you tell I don't watch hockey?"

Ed laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head when she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You'll learn."

###

At the end of the first period, the Rangers and their opponent, the Predators, were tied at 1 apiece and Noah was having the time of his little life. Even Olivia was getting into the game, not realizing before now what a thrill it was to watch hockey in person.

The house band was playing some great cover tunes during the intermission and Olivia was leaned up against Ed, both watching Noah as he danced to the music and observed the Ranger girls skating on the ice while the Zambonis cleaned the surface.

Every now and then, Olivia would glance at the Jumbotron and laugh at the fans it showed. The cameras seemed to find all the kids dancing their hearts out, and it even found a few adults that were getting in on the action much to the crowds delight.

Toward the end of the intermission, the arena switched to the Kiss Cam & both Ed and Olivia were oblivious until some of the people surrounding their seats started gesturing wildly at them to look at the giant screen hanging in the center of the arena.

Sure enough, they looked up and saw their own faces staring back at them. Olivia laughed and tucked her head down into her chest, feeling her cheeks warm with the unexpected attention of thousands of people. Even Noah was encouraging them, standing before them with a hand on each of their knees and jumping excitedly.

Ed squeezed her thigh where his hand was resting and she turned to look at him, silently answering his unspoken question in his gesture. They leaned in simultaneously, and eyes closing, she felt the smile on his lips as they touched hers in a tender kiss that lingered seconds after the camera had panned to the next unsuspecting victims in the crowd.

Ed pulled his lips from hers and opened his eyes to see her already smiling at him. He lifted their hands to his mouth and placed a kiss to the back of hers before lowering them again as she winked.

Though not prudish by any stretch of the imagination, neither Ed nor Olivia was big on public displays of affection. Rather than flaunt for the world to see, they preferred to show their adoration for each other in smaller, more personal ways. Ed half expected Olivia to recede into herself following their performance on the Jumbotron. It was so far outside of her comfort zone, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't warm his heart a little extra at her easy acceptance of the gentle prodding of nearby fans for their participation in the old public sporting past-time.

Olivia could sense his surprise that she'd so willingly participated in the Kiss Cam. Given how discreet they'd had to be at the start of their relationship, and the fallout that they'd still managed to face following the trafficking case, what won out over her desire to keep overly affectionate displays relegated to the privacy of her apartment – or at least smaller venues – was the overwhelming need to just stop caring about what other people were paying attention to.

But they'd just shared a big public moment together, with thousands of anonymous hockey fans to bear witness.

And across the arena from them and one level down, someone they knew looked away from the Jumbotron with a small smile on their face. This was going to be fun.

###

So, this is my first SVU fanfic and the first fanfic I've published in a _while_. I am a little rusty but I'm getting my bearings back. Already started working on the 2nd part of this – hope to get an update out soon. Let me know what you think in the meantime – review here or on twitter bonosaurus #Tuckson


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we go: Chapter 2. Characters aren't mine. (Depressing, much?)**

##

Noah barely made it through the 2nd period before he had wormed his way onto Olivia's lap, his energy level taking a deep nose dive from what it was when they had arrived nearly 3 hours ago.

With the Predators leading by 2 goals, Olivia made the executive decision that it was time to get her sleepy boy home to bed. For his first sporting event, it was an incredible success and even she had a good time despite knowing next to nothing about the sport. Perhaps it was even something that Ed and Noah could do on their own sometimes, some male bonding during the slump between football and Ed's first love, baseball. She knew he was probably dying to get Noah to a baseball game to start capitalizing on some teachable moments.

They rose from their seats and Ed reached over to take the drowsy toddler from his mother's arms, resting him on his hip as he took Olivia's hand in his free one.

##

They walked a couple blocks from the arena before attempting to hail a cab back to her apartment, and when they got there, Noah was fast asleep in Ed's arms.

Ed took him straight back to his bedroom, carefully laying him down in his bed whispering a raspy, "Goodnight, bud."

He came back out to find Olivia in the kitchen, sipping a bottle of water and leaning up against the counter, lost in thought.

On the way out of the arena, an older woman a couple steps down from them on the escalator had commented on what a beautiful family they were. Taken aback, she could only mutter surprised smile and a soft 'thank you' before they landed on the lower level and the woman headed for the Pro Shop while Ed and Olivia exited through the main doors. It was a small moment, an innocent comment, but it had stuck with her. She looked up hearing his footsteps. "He still out?"

"Like a light." He closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her softly, but passionately.

"Are you staying tonight?"

He didn't hesitate. "Of course." He leaned down to kiss her again. "I'm here as long as you want me to be, Lieutenant."

She giggled at her title-turned-term-of-endearment; that had become their thing. If she had a nickel for every time she'd called him Captain in bed, well… "Good to know. You go ahead in. I'm just gonna lock up and kiss Noah goodnight and I'll be right there."

She bolted the door, sliding the chain into place and entered the code to engage the alarm before turning off all the lights save for the one over the kitchen sink. Carefully, she opened Noah's bedroom door and tiptoed to his bed. He was still in his Rangers sweater, and she hoped he wouldn't get too warm overnight, but it was chillier than normal for this time of year. And truthfully, she didn't want to risk waking him up by changing him into pajamas. She turned the monitor on, and softly brushed some stray hairs off of his forehead before leaning down and kissing the skin of his cheek. "Sweet dreams, Noah. Mommy loves you."

##

Ed was already lying on what had become his side of the bed when she walked into her room, his arms folded behind his head as he watched the highlights on Sports Center.

She smiled, making her way into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face before getting into some light PJ pants and an old NYPD t-shirt. Climbing into bed, she released a contented sigh, settling back into her pillows. This, as mundane as it may seem, had become their "routine" and she loved every minute of it.

 _What a beautiful family._

"Did you have a good time tonight?"

"I did." She turned on her side to face him. "And I think it's safe to say Noah had a blast, as well. Thank you for taking us."

"It was my pleasure. I like showing him new things." He glanced at her. "You'll tell me if I step on your toes, right? I don't want to overstep."

She noted the look of trepidation on his face and moved quickly, swinging her leg over his hips to straddle him, her hands resting on his chest. "What? No. You're not overstepping." She leaned down and took his bottom lip between hers before releasing it with a pop. "Noah needs you." She leaned in again, never removing her eyes from his, taking his upper lip this time. "I need you." To punctuate her statement, she rolled her hips over his and he moaned.

His hands came to her thighs, sliding underneath her t-shirt to land on the skin of her hips. "You have me. Both of you."

He pushed her down onto his growing arousal and she leaned her head back briefly at the sensation. "That's good," she breathed.

She leaned in to kiss him again, her tongue sliding into his open mouth to tangle with his. When she pulled back, he took in her slightly flushed face, her uneven breathing. "So, the kiss cam, huh?" His eyes were bright with barely concealed delight.

She grinned, "What about it?"

"You kissed me." The look on his face was self-satisfied, smug: pure Ed Tucker.

She rolled her eyes in amused annoyance. "Yeah, so? You kissed me, too."

"In front of thousands of people." He raised an eyebrow at her, and she blushed.

"Yeah, yeah… But I like kissing you." She captured his lips again. "Besides, what are the chances that we're ever gonna see any of those people again?"

"You like kissing me, huh?" She shook her head; of course that was the part that he focused on. He thrust his hips up into hers and smiled when she whimpered.

She raised an eyebrow in challenge and lifted herself just slightly so they were no longer touching as intimately. "Keep teasing me and you won't get any tonight."

"That so?"

And before she could react, he had grasped her hips in his hands, rolling them over so that she was now underneath him. She tried to glare at him, but couldn't stifle the laugh that bubbled up out of her.

He took advantage of her open mouth, kissing her passionately before ridding them both of their clothes and sliding inside of her. They made love, alternating between slow-and-sensual and then vigorous, the sounds of their breathing and moaning mixing in with light laughter as they continued to tease each other even in the throes of passion.

When they finished, he pulled the blankets back up over their sweaty bodies to ward of the chill that would inevitably arrive as the heat of the moment dissipated. He pulled her into his chest, stroking her upper arm as he felt her breathing deepen into sleep, succumbing to his own exhaustion right behind her.

##

Olivia entered the squad room the following Monday feeling rejuvenated and alive after spending the weekend with Ed and Noah.

As soon as she walked into her office, Fin came in right behind her. "Morning, Fin." She smiled as she dropped her laptop and files on her desk and removed her coat to hang it on the rack by the door. "How was your weekend?"

He sat down in a chair opposite her desk and smiled at her, slyly. "Not as good as yours, apparently."

She looked at him apprehensively. _What was he up to?_ "What's with you? You look like the cat that ate the canary." Mock realization etched her features, and she cocked her head to the side, studying him.

Wait a minute.

Canary.

Bird.

 _Parakeet._

She grinned, remembering the conversation they had about balance not too long ago. "Did you get a parakeet?" She clapped her hands together once in excitement. "Do you need me to throw you a parakeet shower?"

He shot her a look of displeasure at the direction his teasing was going. "No, I did _not_ get a parakeet."

She deflated. "Fine. Then what's up with you? Why so smiley this morning?"

"You tell me, baby girl." He raised his eyebrows, goading her. Getting no response besides a blank look, he finally clued her in. "How about that Rangers game on Saturday?"

Her face paled. That was not what she was expecting. So much for never seeing any of those people again… In an attempt to deflect the attention, she asked incredulously, "What were _you_ doing at a hockey game?"

"A buddy of mine had an extra ticket and was in a bind," he replied dismissively. "But this ain't about me. How long you been holding out on me, Liv? Y'all looked pretty cozy up on that big screen... Went out and got some of that _balance_ for yourself, huh?" He winked at her.

When she realized he wasn't giving her a hard time to be difficult, only to mock, she relaxed, smiling at him coyly.

"Shut up, Fin." She started busying herself with turning on her laptop, getting her files in order. She gave in. "Yes, Ed and I are together. Yes, I am happy. And no, I'm not talking about it."

He held his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, Liv." He paused. Then, in disbelief, " _Ed?"_

She had anticipated this reaction. It would have been unreasonable for her to expect anything other than confusion when people found out that she and Ed were, in fact, seeing each other. But, she shot Fin a warning glare anyway.

Shaking his head, Fin spoke again. "Well, I'm happy for you. I don't get it… But if you're happy, then I'm good." He turned serious then. "If he hurts you…." Letting the threat trail off, he leveled her with a look that illustrated his intent.

She smiled, affected. She and Fin had worked together for a long time; he had her back and was often like a big brother she never had. Softly, "I know, Fin." She paused, looked at him thoughtfully, and teased. "Maybe _don't_ threaten him with bodily harm, though? He is still IAB…" He shrugged at her, unconcerned. Sincerely, she continued. "Thank you."

He met her eyes in a lingering gaze, smirked at her, and nodded his head just once before he left her office to return to his desk.

 _Well,_ she thought to herself, _there was one more person down who knew about Ed_.

It was actually a relief that he had approached her about it. It had never been easy for Olivia to share her relationships with people she worked with, and Fin's good-natured ribbing had taken the pressure off of her to actually initiate the conversation. She and Fin had history; he knew her so well – she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd gone about it this way intentionally to save her the trouble.

Either way, she was grateful: one less person to worry about.

##

A few minutes before noon, her phone buzzed with a text message and she smiled when she saw that it was from Ed.

 _Free for lunch?_

They hadn't had anything major come in this morning and she had made a good dent in her paperwork so far. There was nothing going on that her detectives couldn't handle in her absence for a little while. She texted him back, asking if he wanted to meet somewhere. She hadn't put her phone down yet when he replied.

 _I'm close by. Be there in 10._

She sent a kissing heart emoji and set her phone down, answering a few emails before he arrived to get her.

True to his word, in 10 minutes he was strolling determinedly into the squad room and making a beeline for her office. To anyone else, he would've looked purposeful in his haste to get here for a case or other professional circumstance.

He smiled at her as he walked in, greeting her with a curt, "Lieutenant." The brevity was all for appearances, for his eyes were dancing with mirth when she looked up at him. She wanted to kiss him, but there was too much activity going on in the squad room now – not like the last visit he'd made to her office.

"Hi. Ready to go?" She stood, putting her coat on before retrieving her purse from the floor by her desk. Ever the gentleman, he motioned for her to walk ahead of him in the universal 'after you' gesture as they left her office.

Once they were out in the squad room, she addressed her team. "I'm going to lunch." She registered the look of surprise that flitted across Rollins' face when she noticed who Liv's lunch companion was, but it was gone almost as quick as it appeared and she didn't acknowledge it. "Fin, hold the fort."

Fin nodded his assent and Olivia and Tucker went to head for the elevators. Just before they got out of earshot, Fin couldn't resist calling Tucker's name. Ed turned to look at him, and Fin, with a grin taking over his face, said, "Go Rangers!"

Ed immediately turned to look at Olivia. Though she had a small smile on her face, she shook her head, rolling her eyes for good measure before turning and heading for the elevators.

Amanda turned to Fin, confusion lining her features. "Go Rangers? Since when are you a hockey fan?" She paused, fully digesting the jibe she just witnessed. "And since when do you talk to Tucker about hockey… or _anything,_ for that matter?"

Fin laughed. "Slow down, Rollins. I'm just givin' the man a hard time."

His response did nothing to quell her confusion, but Amanda left it alone, returning to her computer to continue to run the M.O. of a recent rape through their database.

Fin knew it wasn't his place to share what he had seen at the game with Amanda. Olivia would take care of that herself in her own time, when she was ready.

##

In the elevator, Ed looked over at Olivia. "So, he was at the game Saturday, I take it?"

Olivia leaned back against the far wall to face him. She nodded. "Evidently." Normally, a succinct response like that would worry him a bit, but he saw the look on her face; she was tickled.

Cautiously, he replied. "And that…. _doesn't_ bother you?" He knew she was a private person. Hell, it's why he was so surprised when she went along with the kiss cam thing to begin with. Clearly, the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, with Fin… He was surprised she wasn't more unnerved.

"No, Ed. It doesn't." She took the two steps to be close to him. "I'm with you, Ed. Fin was going to find out eventually." She shrugged. "Hell, the whole squad is going to find out eventually – assuming most of them don't already know after the whole transfer fiasco." She leaned up and kissed him softly. "I'm not ashamed of you – or this."

Before he could respond the elevator landed on the ground floor of the 1-6 and he held his arm over the door as she exited, falling into step beside her as they walked out the front doors of the precinct toward his car. He grabbed her hand, smiling at her when she turned to meet his eyes and squeezed his fingers. He walked over to the passenger side when they got to the car, holding the door open for her. Just before she went to get in, he reached for her elbow.

"Wait." She paused, resting her arm along the top of the door and cocked an eyebrow in silent question. He looked back at the precinct before meeting her eyes again. "I know I'm not risking nearly as much as you are here, but for the record, I'm not ashamed of you or us either."

She reached up and lovingly caressed his face. "Ed," she began. "I don't feel like I'm risking anything." She placed a lingering kiss on his lips, and secretly he reveled in the fact that she was so uninhibited standing outside of her precinct. "You are a good man – to me and to my son - and I _want_ to be with you. I'm making no apologies for that. To anyone."

Her eyes flickered between his in silent emphasis of her words, hoping that he understood what she was saying. Once upon a time, Olivia kept her relationships close to the vest in a vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecies, willing them to fail by dooming them to do just that. But she's not the same person she used to be, and hovering around 50 with a toddler to consider, she didn't have time for games. She wasn't going to stay anywhere she didn't want to be, with anyone she didn't want to be with.

When she was just starting out in SVU, she wore her dedication to the job as a badge of honor. She was burning the candle at both ends. But now, thinking back on her conversation with Fin a few days ago, she knows that there's more to life than just the job. There has to be. First Noah, and now Ed, had given her the balance that she had so desperately needed for so long; something to come home to that wasn't stale takeout and an empty apartment.

Ed reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, planting one kiss and then another before releasing her and stepping back from the door, shutting it once she was safely inside the car. He jogged around to the driver side, and as he pulled out into traffic, she took his hand in hers and intertwined their fingers.

"So," she started, casually. "When's the next Rangers game?"

##

" _She is whatever she wants to be, so tough in a beautiful way. She's got the world at her fingertips; she makes beauty look effortless. And I want everything she is."_

 _Ben Rector, 'She is'_

##

 **I had to throw in a little Finlivia after Sheltered Outcasts.** **I love their cute little moments. More cute Tuckson moments lie ahead… Let me know what you think! Also – keep an eye out for another [darker] Tuckson fic from me soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Characters don't belong to me, but the mistakes (if there are any) do. Thanks so much for all the reviews so far in this story! I appreciate the feedback – keep it coming!**

##

" _Lost and found, I'm better dancing when I don't look down. Hard times show up but they don't hang around; I feel like I'm onto something good."_

 _Ashley Monroe, 'Onto Something Good'_

##

Ed awoke with a sharp intake of breath, stretching with a muted grunt and blinking his eyes rapidly to adjust to the brightness of Olivia's bedroom. He turned to his right and smiled at the sight of her, still slumbering peacefully, her body rising and falling with each breath.

She was on her stomach with both arms clutching the pillow beneath her head, her face pointed toward Ed. A rogue strand of hair had fallen and was hanging over her face and she rolled her shoulder in her sleep in an attempt to move it away from her skin.

Carefully, Ed moved closer to her and propped himself up on his elbow. From her perfectly sleep-tousled hair, down her tank top clad back and over the one leg that was left uncovered by the sheet, he let his eyes rake over her sleeping form.

"You're leering," she rasped, sleepily. He darted his attention back to her face, where her eyes were only barely visible through the slits of her eyelids.

Of all the Olivia's he had come to know since they began an intimate relationship, this one was by far his favorite. Sure, there was something innately sexy in every color of her personality: badass Lieutenant, caretaker to victims, mother to Noah. She was even sexy when she was pissed off. But this Olivia… The one whose voice was crackly with sleep, not a stitch of makeup, hair going in different directions: he was absolute putty in her hands.

"Just admiring the view." Smiling sardonically, he leaned forward and placed his hand on her lower back, sliding up underneath her tank top and rubbing the bare skin he found beneath. At her low responding moan, his lips found her shoulder placing a soft kiss there. "Good morning."

"Mm." She adjusted her head so she could look at him better. "'Morning."

He repositioned himself so he was straddling her upper thighs, his hands continuing their gentle perusal over her body. She made an attempt to turn over, and he put pressure on her back. "Don't move." When she kept fighting him, he laughed softly. "You're stubborn, you know that?"

She stopped and grinned at him over her shoulder. Mockingly, "I'm sorry, have we met?"

He huffed out a laugh, nodding. "Smartass." And then he leaned forward, letting his hands travel up the length of her arms, so he was holding himself above her. He buried his face in her neck and whispered. "Now, stay still." He found her earlobe with his teeth and gently nipped at her.

She sighed contentedly, giving in to him for the moment. They would have to get up soon, but until that time… She could enjoy the attention he was giving her. He massaged her back, leaning forward to kiss up her arms before he moved off of her and allowed her to move to her side, facing him. Her right hand came up and cupped his jaw, pulling him toward her for a sweet good morning kiss. "I wish we could stay here all day, but we have to get up." She kissed him again, lingering this time to pull his bottom lip between hers. And precisely at that moment, they heard Noah's small voice through the closed bedroom door, echoed by the monitor that rested on her nightstand. "I should go get him."

Ed shook his head. "I can get him." He kissed her once more before he got up and met Noah out in the hallway. "G'morning, kid!" He gathered the boy in his arms and turned him upside down, gripping him with a steady arm around his thighs, much to the toddler's delight. He shrieked gleefully, "Mommy!"

Olivia walked up to the pair with an amused smile on her face. "Someone is awake! Did he get you, sweet boy?" She put her mouth to where Noah's sleep shirt had slid down from Tucker's hold and blew a raspberry on his belly, laughing at the cackling child as he squirmed to get away.

Ed turned him right side up again and kissed Olivia on the cheek. Turning to head toward the kitchen, Ed asked, "How's a-bout some breakfast, little man?"

"Breffust, Mr. Ed!"

Olivia snorted in laughter at the nickname and Ed shot her a teasing glare, to which she threw her hands up in mock surrender. "Don't look at me." She winked at him, and then turned to gather clothes for her shower. "I'll be out in a few."

##

When Olivia got out of the shower, she got into a comfy pair of jeans and a casual maroon button-down shirt. Letting her hair dry into natural waves, she put the final touches on her makeup before heading out to swap with Ed.

She came up behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "All yours," she said, meaning the bathroom.

Ed, however, played on the double meaning and he leaned in to kiss the spot below her right ear and whispered huskily, "Damn right you are."

"You're ridiculous," she admonished, but she secretly loved when he said and did things like that. She swatted his ass and jerked her head back toward her bedroom, giving him a sultry grin. "Shower. I don't want to be late meeting Heather."

##

Heather was the mother of one of Noah's best daycare friends, Jackson. She owned a boutique shop in Olivia's neighborhood called Hot Mamas. The store sold a decent variety of styles for women, but Heather herself was decidedly bohemian, with a mop of natural dirty blonde curls on her head. Heather came from money – she opened her store using the contents of her trust fund – but you would never know it by looking at her or talking to her. She was as down-to-earth as a person could be.

It took three or four visits to the store before Olivia and Heather got to talking and made the connection that their sons were friends at daycare. They started scheduling play-dates, which grew into the occasional mom-dates for coffee, and eventually they started getting together as families, with Ed and Heather's husband Ben in tow.

Olivia really valued having a close female friend, especially one who was also a mom. She had been close with Casey and Alex once upon a time, but they hadn't kept in consistent contact since she'd stopped seeing them regularly through work. And though she and Rollins had a lot of parallels going on in their lives right now, their relationship was still somewhat strained and it was difficult to organize regular get-togethers where one or both of them wasn't called into a scene. Plus, it was nice having someone separate from that world – the SVU sphere.

They had been trying to get their families all together to go to the zoo for weeks, but when all the drama went down for Olivia and Ed at work and Ben ended up being out of town after that, they had to postpone. They had finally gotten their schedules lined up for this weekend.

##

Olivia made herself a cup of coffee and poured a bowl of cereal, taking it over to the couch. Noah was sitting at his table, fully engrossed in Saturday morning cartoons while eating some fruit that Ed had cut up for him. "Are you excited to see Jackson today, Noah?"

Noah turned his head to her without averting his gaze from the TV screen. "We go to the zoo!"

"I know, baby! What animals are you going to see?"

Noah dramatically looked up to the ceiling, tapping his finger to his chin before looking at her. "Bears – and monkeys – and cats!"

She chuckled at him. The 'cats' were actually snow leopards – a fair amount bigger than the house cats he was used to seeing at Heather & Ben's apartment. "That's right! You're going to see a lot of animals today." She couldn't wait to see his face. This would be his first visit to a zoo, seeing a lot of animals up close that he'd only seen pictures of in his books. Some would be new to him entirely.

He was such a curious kid; sometimes it was hard for even her to believe that he wasn't hers biologically. He had this incredible thirst for information sometimes; she just hoped he didn't aspire to follow in his mom and Ed's footsteps and become a detective. Inwardly, she cringed at the thought. She didn't want that life for him.

A few minutes later, Ed emerged from the bedroom and went into the kitchen, fixing his own cup of coffee. She turned to look at him, her gaze appreciative as she took in his faded jeans and dark charcoal polo shirt. She loved that shirt; it really made his eyes pop.

He could feel her eyes on him, so he decided to tease her. "You're leering," he said, tossing her own words from this morning back at her.

She smirked, playing along. "Just admiring the view." She threw him a suggestive wink before she went to get Noah ready.

##

It was a challenge tearing Noah away from the TV, but after reminding him that he was going to see his best friend and lots of animals, which thanks to his toddler-sized attention span he'd managed to forget in less than five minutes, he finally relented and allowed Olivia to get him dressed and ready to go.

They found Heather, Ben and Jackson pretty easily once they arrived at the zoo, and the group meandered through the different exhibits at a leisurely pace, snapping pictures throughout. When the boys got tired of walking, Ed and Ben set them up on their shoulders and they continued on. Heather and Olivia lagged behind them a bit and talked.

"So," Heather prodded, knocking Olivia with her elbow. "How're things going with Ed?"

Olivia shot her a demure smile, her eyes landing on Ed who was ahead of them enough for her to answer quietly. The men appeared absorbed in friendly conversation. Ben was a sports writer for a magazine, so he traveled pretty regularly to cover different teams and athletes. Ed being a sports fan, there was never a shortage of conversation between the two.

"It's going really well. He and Noah have really bonded. He spends almost every night at my apartment." She shrugged shyly, "We're enjoying each other."

"I'll bet you are," Heather interjected. "That man," she pointed an index finger ahead of them at Ed, "is a silver fox." Though she agreed, Olivia couldn't stop the bark of laughter that escaped her lips at Heather's declaration. Such a spitfire, she was. Olivia had a few years on the younger mom, but she couldn't help but think that this friendship was helping tremendously to keep her young.

Heather continued, "Have you thought about shackin' up?"

"We haven't really talked about it." Olivia replied, noncommittally.

"Okay, but that's not what I asked." Heather gave her friend a meaningful smile. "We may not have known each other all that long yet, Liv, but I _do_ know you." That she did. Heather had been a lifeline to Olivia during the time when her relationship with Ed was in its fledgling stages. When she couldn't talk about it with anyone else, either because of the newness or just the fact that he was _Tucker_ , Heather had been her sounding board: her Switzerland, when her world was full of people who couldn't stand Ed purely because of his job. Heather had been rooting for them since their first somewhat ambiguous meetings for drinks, even though Olivia admittedly wasn't sure in the beginning what to make of this new side of Ed she was suddenly seeing.

Olivia smiled in submission. "I know you do. I'm not freaking out." Under Heather's disbelieving glare, "I promise!" She paused, looking at her son. "I have been thinking about it. It would just be a formality at this point anyway. He's already there so much." Heather nodded victoriously.

Noah and Jackson were giggling animatedly from their perches on the shoulders of the men in their lives, swatting at each other in what looked like an aboveground game of Chicken.

"You ever think about another one?" When Olivia turned to look at Heather, her gaze was on the boys.

"Jesus, if it was up to you I'd be married tomorrow…" Olivia observed with a nervous chuckle.

Heather laughed. "Relax, Liv. I didn't mean right away, just in general. Might be nice for Noah to have a sibling someday."

Truthfully, Olivia had thought about that herself – not just since Ed had become a part of the picture, but even before. When she envisioned her family years and years ago, she always imagined at least two kids, so they would each have a playmate. She never had a sibling growing up, and even though she knew Simon was out there in the world now, they weren't really in touch anymore; too many things to overcome, for both of them.

She would be open to adopting again. It definitely wasn't off the table, but she needed to be a lot more settled than she was now, and she needed to make sure it was something Ed wanted, too. She gave a reserved shrug, "We'll see what happens. If it's meant to be…"

Heather rolled her eyes playfully at that. _If it's meant to be…_ That had become Olivia's mantra, cemented further by her relationship with Ed. She had gotten the backstory behind their unlikely romance, that Ed had investigated Olivia and her former partner quite a few times early on. It was almost hard to believe that their professional encounters were so _unfriendly_ once _._ To see the way Ed looked at her now – the way they looked at each other, really – it was like nothing else existed, apart from Noah.

"I'm happy for you, Liv," Heather gave her a warm smile.

Olivia blushed. "Thanks. I am, too."

"Don't overthink it," Heather added. Then she leaned in and whispered in Olivia's ear, "And don't fuck it up." Olivia shook her head with a smile, endlessly amused at Heather's no-holds-barred, take-no-shit personality.

The group sat down for lunch together, grabbing hamburgers and chicken fingers from a vendor at the zoo. They walked around for a few minutes after, but it became clear that tired legs and full bellies were about to make cranky monsters of the two boys who had been behaving so well up to this point. It was time to get home before the temper tantrums flared.

"Hey, we just found out about a new piano bar that opened downtown. How about next week we share a babysitter and go out, just us adults?" Roger suggested, looking to both Ed and Olivia, as he and Ed shook hands.

"That sounds great!" Olivia agreed. She gave Roger a friendly kiss on the cheek before leaning in to hug Heather. "I'll see you Monday afternoon?" Heather nodded in the affirmative, and the group headed their separate ways

##

That evening, Olivia sat in bed flipping through the pictures on her phone after tucking Noah in with his new stuffed monkey. There had to have been a hundred photos of Noah with various animals in the backdrop and she loved the mystified look on his face, taking it all in. She laughed out loud at a couple where the animals had photo-bombed what would've been a somewhat serious candid shot. She'd have to get a collage together to put in her office.

She came upon one of the three of them that made her pause. She was holding Noah on her hip and they were both beaming at the camera. Ed was standing partially behind her, with a hand around her waist and she could see his hand tenderly grasping Noah's leg. Instead of looking at the camera, Ed was looking down at the two of them. He didn't wear a big smile – big smiles weren't his thing. It was more the look on his face, the emotion she could see in his eyes.

They hadn't said 'I love you' yet, but she felt herself get teary because that's exactly what she saw in his eyes. As she played her conversation with Heather over and over in her head, the knowledge that she felt the same way settled over her.

It was a strange sensation, feeling somehow lighter and weighed down simultaneously; warm but tingly. She was struck by the awareness that the other times she thought she'd been in love hadn't felt anything like this.

##

Ed came out of the bathroom in boxer shorts and a t-shirt and she set her phone on the nightstand.

"Hi." He climbed into bed beside her, and when she didn't respond, he looked up, finding her eyes already on him. He looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. "I can see the wheels turning in your head, Benson."

Heather had gotten her thinking about her commitment to him, and the fact that she was ready to make one. Neither of them was prepared for marriage yet, she knew that. And while she felt ready to tell him she loved him, she wanted the moment she did that to be the right one – this wasn't it just yet. But there was one gesture she could make that would illustrate the depth of her feeling for him. She asked him coyly, "Do you have any clothes left at your apartment?"

He attempted to veil his surprise at her question. "Still a few things." And then he added, his voice betraying a little hesitance, "Why?"

"I want you to bring it _all_ over." She looked at him pointedly and watched the recognition slide across his face. "What do you think about moving in?"

His face was alight with muted excitement. "I would love to. I practically live here already anyway." He leaned over and kissed her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, "Wouldn't have asked if I wasn't." She smiled at him contentedly.

He rolled over so that he was on top of her, cradled between her thighs. Looking down and into her eyes. He kissed her deeply. "I'll bring over the rest of the essentials tomorrow." She nodded and lifted her head to kiss him this time. "And I'll get my stuff into storage."

"You can bring some of it here, if you want," she offered, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can put some of my stuff in storage." She scratched her nails lightly over his scalp and he smiled down at her. "This place can be a little of both of us." She moaned when he dropped his lips down to her neck, planting open-mouthed kisses there. "And then maybe down the road," she sighed against his ministrations, feeling her body getting worked up, "we can get a bigger place." She rolled her hips up into his when his right hand slid under her shirt, up her left side before landing on her breast, kneading. "Together."

"We'll figure it out," he responded breathlessly, grinding into her.

"Later," she agreed, nodding. She pulled his shirt over his head and smiled into a searing kiss, effectively ending the conversation.

##

Back at work a few days later, Tucker was reading through files on a recent case that he and Draper were working when his partner rapped on his office door seeking entrance.

"Morning." Cole sat down in a chair opposite Tucker's desk.

Tucker nodded in greeting. "Got anything new?"

Draper went to respond, but stopped when something caught his eye. He smiled triumphantly, jutting his chin in the direction of a picture frame on the credenza behind Tucker's desk. It was a new addition. He teased, "Well, don't you just look like the perfect happy family?"

Tucker turned to look at what Draper was gesturing toward, though he already knew what it was. The day after the zoo, Olivia had gone to a photo kiosk and gotten a few shots printed. The frame held a photo, one that sat in an identical frame in Olivia's office now. It was the photo of the three of them that had caught her eye from their day at the zoo the past weekend.

Ed shrugged, a small smile adorning his face, but he said nothing. Draper continued his mockery. "So… it's getting serious, huh?"

Ed met his eyes and replied dismissively, "Getting there."

"When are you going to make an honest woman out of her, man?"

Ed could handle a little ribbing, and he knew Draper was having a field day with the knowledge of his relationship with the SVU Lieutenant. But he was still an inherently private person, and his relationship with Olivia was something he wasn't ready to share yet. Olivia had softened him tremendously, but not that much. Though he was done with the prying, he kept his tone light when he retorted, "Mind your business, Draper."

"Alright, alright," Draper conceded. Grumbling, he added, "Probably more the other way around anyway." His partner had a penchant for being extremely difficult when he wanted to be.

Ed went to refute his comment, but thought better of it at the last second. He had hit the lottery with Olivia; there was no denying that. "That's…probably true." Before Draper could interject, he continued. "Now, if you'd kindly remove your nose from my personal life, maybe we can get back to work?"

Draper appeased his partner and moved on to sharing the lab results and a list of potential witnesses from the solicitation case they were working involving a patrol officer before he left Ed in peace.

Finally.

Soon, he would tell Draper about the recent changes to his living situation, that as of the past Sunday, all of his clothes and a few other miscellaneous items found their way to Olivia's apartment. He was still reeling from this development in their relationship.

Ed turned in his chair, tapping the end of his pen against his chin and allowing a small, satisfied smile to grace his features as he studied the picture. Much of what Draper had said was just teasing, giving him shit because in all the years they'd been partners, Ed had never been serious about anyone like this.

But there was one word that was sticking out in his mind now, and he couldn't deny the jump it gave his heart.

 _Family._

##

 **The next one will be better, I promise…. I have plans**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thanks again for all the feedback. Keep it coming! Quote heading up this chapter is from an IG post from Sara Bareilles. Characters aren't mine and please forgive any proofing errors. All the songs explicitly mentioned (w/ the exception of Piano Man) are awesome and are currently included in the playlist I made for Tuckson feels; I highly recommend them all.

##

" _I have never found a place that has more romance than New York City. It's pulsing with all sorts of electric loves that look like a million different things." – Sara Bareilles_

##

Every now and again, Ed was struck with the surreal awareness that he was, in fact, dating Olivia. Living with her, too. He knew this; consciously, on some level, he knew this.

But there were moments when he was dumbfounded at the notion that they had actually gotten here, gotten past their history, their jobs, every other obstacle that previously he would've expected to stack against them. Mountains they couldn't – wouldn't – overcome.

And yet… here they were, in another of those moments that had him on the verge of pinching himself just to make sure this wasn't come crazy, vivid dream.

The night that they were going to the piano bar with Heather and Ben had finally arrived, after what was probably the most excruciatingly long week for them both. Olivia walked out of the bedroom, fastening the last of her earrings, and asking him if Noah was ready to go.

Ed couldn't speak. He took her in, from her peep-toe heels to her dark, distressed skinny jeans and white wrap-style blouse. She was wearing a necklace that was just the perfect length to rest in the dip between her breasts. She was gorgeous. And she was his.

She smirked at him, enjoying the effect she was having on him and feeling a bit like he was undressing her right there in the living room with his eyes. "Ed."

"Uh," he started. He cleared his throat, "I, uh… what?"

Olivia raised her eyebrows at his stammering smirking with pleasure at the response she had elicited from him. "Noah," she simplified. "Is he ready?"

"Yes," he breathed. His eyes were still combing over her, head to toe.

She walked up to him, ducking her head down to capture his eyes. She whispered, "Ed, if you don't stop looking at me like that, we're never going to get out of here."

He smirked in response and nodded, "You're beautiful, Lieutenant."

Olivia kissed him softly, running her hands up his arms and around his neck. "You're looking pretty great yourself." He was wearing dark jeans and a quarter-zip light blue sweater with a white undershirt peeking through at the neck. Olivia had bought the sweater for him because it matched his eyes.

Noah ran over from his coloring books and wrapped himself around one of her legs, "Mommy, you pretty!"

"Thank you, baby!" She knelt down and lifted him to her hip, planting a kiss on his cheek and then wiping away the excess lip-gloss with her thumb. "Are you going to be a good boy with Jackson tonight?"

Noah nodded vigorously, "Uh-huh!" He reached down to play with Olivia's necklace, rolling the pendant between his small fingers. "I wanna go wiff you."

Olivia inwardly groaned. Noah had been going through little bouts of separation anxiety, and she hoped that tonight wouldn't turn into one of those episodes where he clung to her and cried when she tried to leave. "I know, sweet boy. Tonight the grownups are going to play, but I promise you and I will have our own little dance party when we get home. How does that sound?"

 _Please, please, please don't have a meltdown._

He seemed to consider this for a moment before shrugging his tiny shoulders in acquiescence. "Ok." Olivia blew out a breath in relief, shooting a glance at Ed who was chuckling silently to himself. _Ah, the old 'maybe later' routine._

She put her son down and took a few minutes to switch her phone, wallet and lip gloss from her functional purse to her non-functional-but-adorable purse, and the trio was on their way to Heather and Ben's.

##

When Heather opened the door to let them in, she gawked at Olivia. "Oh, that is not fair. You look better than I do!"

Olivia waved her off, pulling her in for a hug. "You look beautiful."

Entering the apartment, they met up with the babysitter, a sweet college-age girl named Tammy. By the time they went to leave a few minutes later, the boys couldn't be bothered to say goodbye because they were so engrossed in the DVD of Inside Out that Tammy had smartly started.

"Be good, Noah. We'll be back to get you in a while, okay?"

Noah pushed her away; she was obstructing the TV after all, and he nodded distractedly. "Okay, mommy." This was a far cry from the little boy that wanted to come along just a little while before, but she would take it. At least it wasn't a teary goodbye.

##

The piano bar was a few blocks from Washington Square Park so it was a big hit with the NYU crowd, but Ed and Olivia were impressed with the mix of people they saw when they walked in. Everyone from sorority girls to couples who looked to be in their 60s.

"This place is great!" Olivia shouted. Ben had made a reservation, so they were able to bypass the line to get in, and they were shown to a semi-circle booth not far from the stage, the guys sitting next to each other on the inside with Olivia and Heather flanking them on the sides.

They got their drinks and Heather raised her glass prompting the others to do the same. "What shall we toast to?"

"Grabbing life by the balls?" Ben suggested.

It wasn't quite what Heather had in mind, but Ed laughed. "I could drink to that."

They clinked their glasses together and all took a drink. Before Ed put his glass down, Olivia leaned over to him, running her free hand down his thigh. "To...?"

He quirked his head to the side and considered her for a moment. He could've gone for something sarcastic, let his dry wit overcome the moment. But at the last second, he went for something he knew she would appreciate because it was something they'd both allowed themselves to do recently, with each other. "To… finding light in darkness."

She smiled, touched by the sentiment. She tapped her glass against his tumbler of bourbon and whispered, "Cheers." She took a sip of her wine and set the glass on the table, moving a hand to the back of his head and pulling him into a brief kiss.

The musicians started playing a popular song, and the sudden raucousness of the crowd jolted them apart. When she turned her attention back toward the stage, Heather caught her eye and winked, and she couldn't help the blush she felt heat her cheeks.

The foursome got into the music. The variety of patrons led to a similar variety in song selection as well, and Olivia found herself singing along to a bevy of different tunes. They heard everything from 'Piano Man' (an obvious choice for a piano bar) to Meghan Trainer's 'All About That Bass', plus a little Eric Clapton, NSYNC, Jay-Z, and a bunch others. Of course, Heather and Olivia got excited for every song they knew, with the boys looking on in amusement as they sang along.

Whenever the band played something decidedly rock or _manly_ , like Van Halen or Springsteen, Ben and Ed would whoop and cheer loudly, prompting Heather and Olivia to look at each other as if to say, _really?_

##

Two drinks in, and the place was hopping. The full band was playing, not just the pianos, and as soon as Heather heard the opening notes to Maroon 5's 'Sugar', she screamed and was out of her seat, dragging Olivia with her to the dance floor.

"This is my JAM!"

"Is anyone over 30 even allowed to say that?" Olivia asked, laughing as they reached the dance floor.

Ed watched with amusement as the girls twirled and bounced around the dance floor, getting swallowed into one of the several bachelorette parties that had chosen this place as their venue of choice. He didn't think he'd ever seen Olivia let loose like this, so carefree and full of life.

Ed felt Ben nudge his arm and he turned his attention to the younger man. "Man, do you realize how bad you have it for her?" Ben pointed his chin toward the dance floor. "It is _all_ over your face right now."

 _Busted._

Ed smirked at him, but grumbled a terse _shut up_ at him in an attempt, however feeble, to save face.

##

The girls stayed on the dance floor for a couple songs, but when the band switched to something country that was harder to dance to, Heather and Olivia took the opportunity to take a breather and headed back to their table. They fell into the booth, and Olivia beamed at Ed.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Ed moved a stray hair out of her face. There was the lightest sheen of sweat on her face from how vigorously they were dancing.

"So much fun!" Olivia leaned in and kissed him lightly. She teased Ben and Ed, "Are you guys ever going to get out on the dance floor?"

"I can't," Ben replied seriously. At Olivia's quizzical look, he continued, "Matter of public safety, really." She rolled her eyes.

"I wish I could say he was kidding, but…you should see the video of the first dance at our wedding. He almost broke my ankle." Heather shuddered at the memory, and Olivia and Ed were struggling to suppress laughter.

Olivia turned on Ed, eyes sparkling. "And what's your excuse, Captain?"

"You move on the dance floor better than I ever could, Lieutenant," he replied huskily.

She raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

Ed leaned closer to her, "Oh, I beg to differ."

"Hey!" Heather waved a hand at them. "No sex at the table."

"Ah, leave 'em alone, baby," Ben threw an arm around his wife and smiled at Ed and Olivia in mock apology.

Submitting to the buzz she had going from the wine and the endorphins from the dancing, Olivia shot her friend a look and grumbled, "You're no fun, Heather."

##

An hour later and Heather and Olivia had made a few more trips out to the dance floor. The mood in the bar was electric, and Olivia was having a great time letting her hair down, so to speak. It had been awhile since she'd had a night like this. She and Ed usually opted for the quiet, neighborhood bars by her place or staying in – but a crazy night every once in awhile got the blood pumping.

When the girls were dancing to 'Uptown Funk', Heather tapped Olivia on the shoulder and leaned in to her ear. "Lover-man can't take his eyes off of you, dearest."

Sure enough, she turned and met his eyes instantly. His lip twitched in the smallest of smirks, which she returned, and she made a point to dance a little more suggestively for his benefit for the rest of the song.

When it ended, they made their way back to the table, but the band had started playing a slower song so instead of sitting down like Heather had, she grabbed Ed's hand to pull him out of the booth. She knew he was going to protest, but she wasn't having it. She wanted to be close to him.

As he stood, he shook his head, trying to pull his hand out of her grasp. "I don't dance, Liv."

"You do now." She linked their fingers and turned to lead him to the dance floor. The song was perfect: 'The Way I Am' by Ingrid Michaelson, short and sweet.

Ed was happy to see that they weren't the only couple seizing the opportunity of a slower song, but he was still tense. She could feel the discomfort practically radiating off of him.

"Relax, Ed. Just hold me and sway." She maneuvered his hands so they were around her waist and then wrapped her own arms around his neck, pulling him close so they were chest to chest. Her fingers tickled the nape of his neck as she whispered roughly, "See? S'not so bad, right?"

He looked down into her eyes; intoxicated from the faint scent of her perfume, his favorite, and the bourbon he had consumed. All the dancing she'd done had left her hair just a little frizzy compared to how it was when they first arrived and her cheeks were a little pink from both the exertion and the wine. He agreed with the subtle shake of his head.

"No. Not bad at all."

##

"Do you look at me like that?" Heather asked Ben, as she watched Olivia and Ed move in time with the music.

"Sure I do, babe." Ben placated her.

"Why is it so…intense when he does it to her?"

"Apples and oranges," Ben explained, kissing Heather's temple. "We've been married for 10 years. They're just figuring this thing out."

"She's really happy."

"So's he. You should've seen him ogling her when you guys first went out there. Ed is _whipped_." Ben chuckled.

##

It was an innocent dance, but the moment felt incredibly heavy for both Ed and Olivia as they swayed together. She could feel his thumb stroking her lower back softly, and she melted into the gentle touch, bringing one hand down to rest against his chest and tucking her head into his neck.

He could feel her breath against his neck every time she exhaled and he rested his chin on her head, pulling her closer. The bar seemed to be fading from their periphery and all that was left was the two of them.

As the final notes of the song played and the crowd began to applaud, Olivia slowly pulled back from Ed and gazed into his eyes. She moved the hand that was on his chest back around his neck and she pulled his mouth to hers. His lips parted beneath hers almost immediately, and she wasted no time slipping her tongue between them, moaning softly when she could taste the bourbon he had been drinking. Before the kiss got out of control and remembering that they were in the middle of the dance floor of a crowded bar, she pulled away.

She rested her forehead against his chin for a brief moment to collect herself and when she looked up again, he murmured, "I think it might be time to call it a night."

They made their way back to the table and Olivia was relieved to see that Heather looked like she was fading fast. She'd gone a little harder on the booze, and the slower song was probably ill timed with her coming down from the buzz she'd had going before.

Well, that, and she had eyes. Heather had watched the dance unfold, and could practically visualize the change in tone as it unfolded before her on the dance floor.

As they left the bar, Heather made a point to hook her arm in Olivia's so the guys were left walking together ahead of them.

Olivia could hear them talking about the NHL playoffs, whether the Rangers actually stood a chance of making it into Round 2 this year. Olivia smirked as Ed carried his weight in the conversation. That hockey game seemed to awaken a love for the sport in all three of them.

She was pulled out of her reverie when Heather leaned into her side, "So, am I correct in assuming that you and Ed will be ravaging each other when you get home tonight? That was some kiss…"

"What is it with you and needing to know when I'm having sex?" Olivia teased.

"I feel like you're probably having hotter sex than I am, right now-" Heather started.

"You're married," Olivia interjected sarcastically.

Heather glared at her and ignored the interruption. "-So, this is me living vicariously through you." Olivia laughed and shook her head. "Seriously, though. Want me to keep the kid tonight? I'm sure he and Jackson are already passed out."

"I appreciate the offer, but he's been having separation issues lately. I don't want him to freak out on you in the morning when he realizes that we didn't come back to get him."

"Jackson is no picnic sometimes, it wouldn't be an issue…" Heather tried to make the offer sound as enticing as possible, but she could tell Olivia wasn't biting.

"No, it's okay. We'll take him," Then, deciding to throw Heather a bone, she added slyly, "Tonight's not the kinda night for loud, up-against-the-wall sex, anyway." It was hardly innuendo, but it was something. And it was all Heather was going to get.

##

Noah hadn't even flinched when Ed picked him up from Jackson's daybed.

When they got home, they didn't turn on any lights in the living room, just put Noah down together and went into their bedroom.

Olivia took off her heels and went to put them away, and when she turned from the closet, Ed was setting up her phone on the iHome that she had on top of the dresser.

She heard the familiar sound of Dave Barnes's 'Warm Heart in a Cold World' coming through the speakers.

He toed off his shoes and walked over to her, enveloping her in his arms. He pressed his mouth to her ear, "Dance with me."

"I thought you didn't dance," she teased.

"Shut up and go with it," he sighed dramatically, smirking. "I'm trying to be romantic here."

She chuckled and nestled into his arms, pulling him close and resting her head on his chest. Between the soft notes of the song and the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear, she sighed contentedly.

"Ed Tucker: a romantic…" she said. "You _have_ softened in your old age." He could hear the smile in her voice even if he couldn't see it with her head tucked against him. At her words, they both thought back to that first night. The night that he took a chance, showing her a side of him she hadn't seen, and she didn't dismiss him.

 _To finding light in darkness._

The song ended and the next one came on, Ray LaMontagne's 'You Are The Best Thing'. It was a faster song, the beat more up-tempo, but they kept their movements the same, slowly swaying in a circle in their bedroom.

Lifting her head from his chest, she leaned back to look in his eyes. He unclipped her hair, and she jostled her head a bit to shake the strands loose. "Beautiful," he whispered.

She smiled sweetly at him, reaching a hand up to caress his face. The whole evening had been perfect, and she knew that this moment was the one she had been looking for. Her eyes flicked back and forth between both of his and she let her thumb trail across his lower lip. Finally, she murmured, "I love you."

His breath caught in his throat and he looked surprised for a fraction of a second before he recovered. "I love you, too, Lieutenant."

She rolled her eyes playfully at the moniker. _Figures_ , but at the same time, she was thankful. Neither of them had been particularly good at this stuff before. This was just as significant a moment for him as it was for her, and she was glad that she wasn't the only one that struggled sometimes with letting people in.

Olivia had never been the one to say 'I love you' first. And even when she'd said the words back to boyfriends in the past, it had been more out of obligation, reciprocity, than actual feeling. It felt right with Ed, though.

He ran a hand through her hair before letting it rest on the back of her neck, pulling her to him. Their lips met softly, little pecks transforming into a more heated embrace.

Ed tore his mouth from hers and dropped kisses along her jaw before moving down to her neck, suckling at the skin he found there. He could feel her whimper beneath his lips and he smiled against her skin.

He moved his hands to the hemline of her shirt and moved to pull it off of her, but it was rebelling against him and wouldn't budge. She laughed softly against his neck before stepping back, removing his hands before he tore the fabric. "It has to be untied."

He watched impatiently as she pulled at the knot to her side. "What would possess you to wear something like that when you know I'm just gonna tear it off of you?"

She looked up at him through the hair that had fallen in her face. "I didn't hear you complaining about it earlier, Captain." Finally, she got the knot lose and he helped divest her of the material. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I rendered you speechless."

Under his breath as he went to kiss her neck again and letting his hands glide upward to cup her breasts, he muttered, "Would be nice if _you_ could be speechless right now."

She laughed and was about to retort, but his thumb grazed over one of her nipples through her bra and whatever comment she might've had escaped her and she let out a breathy moan. He smiled smugly, "That's more like it."

He backed her toward the bed, unclasping her bra and removing it before her hands pulled his sweater and undershirt off of him in one move. He reached his hands around her, squeezing her ass and pulling her into him so they were chest-to-chest. She pushed her hips against his, feeling the beginnings of his arousal against her, and she moaned at the sensation.

Ed's hands moved from her ass to the front of her jeans, undoing the button and the zipper before moving to push them off her hips. They were like a second skin, which was great when he wasn't trying to take them off, but it really wasn't working for him now. "What the hell, Benson…"

She let out a throaty laugh, pulling away from him again. "Patience is a virtue, Ed."

He looked at her, dumbfounded. "Since when am I virtuous?"

"Actually," she pulled the jeans down her legs and stepped out of them, returning to him and reaching a hand down to start undoing his own jeans. "I happen to think you're a very virtuous person." He opened his mouth to speak, but she kissed him instead, seizing the opportunity and slipping her tongue between his parted lips. "No more talking."

"Not even to tell you I love you?"

She smiled warmly. "No talking except for that." She kissed him again, and then murmured against his lips, "I love you, too."

Once out of his jeans, she pushed him onto the bed and crawled over him.

They took their time exploring each other, though it wasn't as though any of the territory was unfamiliar. They both took pleasure in rediscovering the spots that made the other moan, and it wasn't long before the sound of their lovemaking – sighs, grunts, _Oh Gods,_ and, in Ed's case especially, some colorful words – permeated the room along with the soft music coming from the speaker.

When they finished, they lay on their sides facing each other. She smiled at him. "You're something else, you know that?"

"I do, actually," he replied, smugly.

"You're also a smartass," she deadpanned.

Smirking, he laid an arm over her hip, pulling them closer together. "Sometimes I can't believe we're actually here, like this."

"Me either," she kissed him. "But whatever it took to get here, I'm glad we did."

##

Ed woke marginally early the next morning to the feeling that he was being watched. Sure enough, he opened his eyes and Noah was standing next to his side of the bed.

Noah addressed him in a dramatic whisper. It made Ed smile, and he put a finger to his lips to signal to Noah not to wake his mom.

He was lying on his back; Olivia was half on her stomach and half on her side facing away from him, her right arm resting against his left. Gingerly so as not to wake her, he pulled himself up and out of bed, sending up a silent _hallelujah_ that they had gotten in the habit of redressing after they made love just in case of this exact scenario.

He lifted Noah with hands under the boy's arms and brought him out into the living room, setting him up at his little table. "How about some breakfast, kiddo?"

Noah nodded, rubbing his eyes sleepily, and Ed turned on the TV to some cartoons before filling a sippy cup with juice and getting breakfast together for Noah. Once the little boy was eating, he set out to get coffee going for himself, smiling as he listened to Noah chatter along with the TV. He poked his head into their bedroom to check on Olivia and saw that she was still out, so he grabbed his phone and checked emails and various news apps to see what was going on with the world.

A few minutes later, Noah walked up and tugged gently on the edge of Ed's t-shirt. "Mommy needs Breffust, too!"

Ed lifted him onto the countertop. "She's still sleeping, bud." And then an idea sprang into his mind. "How about you and I make her some breakfast, and then we'll bring it in there for her?"

"Yes! I help!" Ed ruffled his hair and turned to the refrigerator to get out everything they'd need, and then grabbed a bowl from the cabinet.

He set up some strips of bacon on a paper plate and set it in the microwave – frying it on the stove would make it taste better, but he didn't want Noah to get splashed by the grease. Bacon was bacon.

He grabbed an egg, and held it in front of Noah. "You gotta be careful when you're crackin' eggs, Noah." The boy's eyes were big as saucers as he followed the egg in Ed's hands. "You want to hit it hard enough on the bowl that the shell cracks, but not too hard so little pieces fall into the bowl. Like this," he cracked the egg and spilled the contents into the bowl, throwing the empty shell in the sink. Noah clapped his hands excitedly. "Wanna give it a shot?"

"Yeah!"

He took Noah's hand in his, placed the egg in it, and then helped him crack the shell, smiling at the boy's mystified expression as the egg white and the yolk spilled into the bowl. "Great job!" They split the eggshell and took turns tossing the remains into the sink.

They went through the rest of the process like this; Ed teaching Noah how to whisk before letting him "drive" for a bit on his own. He poured just a dash of milk and sprinkled some cheese (his own mother's "secret" ingredient) and then carefully poured the egg mixture into a greased skillet under Noah's watchful eye. They took turns stirring the eggs, scrambling them gently and Ed made sure the bacon was coming along at the same pace.

When everything was done, he set it all up on a tray before lowering Noah back to the ground.

##

Olivia heard them in the kitchen, but she stayed still as the sounds of their footsteps and soft talking approached the bedroom. She willed herself not to cry at the incredible sweetness of the gesture: her two boys working together to make her breakfast in bed. No one had ever done that for her before.

Ed stood at the foot of the bed carrying the tray, Noah stood beside him.

"Ed," Noah loudly whispered again, a whining tone sneaking into his voice. "She _still_ sleeping."

He smiled down at Noah, tilted his head toward Olivia and murmured. "Go wake her up, kiddo."

She felt the dip in the mattress as Noah climbed up onto the bed and crawled over to her. He patted the top of her head gently. "Momma, up!" He got real close to her face. "We made breffust for you."

She opened one eye and made a show of stretching and turning over, winking at Ed when she saw his knowing smile. "Good morning, sweet boy! What have you guys been up to this morning?"

She sat up and leaned against the headboard, pulling Noah into her arms and kissing the side of his head.

"Noah wanted to make you breakfast." Ed walked around to her side of the bed and placed the tray over her lap before walking around and getting in the bed on his side.

Olivia cuddled Noah closer while giving Ed a sultry look. What a turn-on it was, when your boyfriend teaches your son to make you breakfast in bed.

She took a bite of the eggs, moaning in satisfaction. "These are amazing!" Noah beamed with pride and she fed him a bite. "What did you guys put in these? They are so good!"

Quietly, from his perch on his side of the bed, Ed answered. "A little bit of cheddar cheese and a splash of milk. Just like my mom used to make them when I was a kid."

Her breath caught and she met Ed's eyes, heart melting. She had no words.

"Bacon!" Noah held up a strip to her mouth and she took a bite, letting out an exaggerated moan and smiling at her son.

" _Everything_ is better with bacon, Noah," Ed said, imparting more wisdom on the boy and yielding a playful eye roll from Olivia.

"So tell me about what you did with Jackson, sweetie." While she and Noah chit-chatted about all the things he and Jackson got into with Tammy, she reached the arm that was around Noah and clasped Ed's hand in hers, squeezing gently in silent thanks.

When they had a moment alone, she would try and find the words to tell him how much this whole morning meant to her.

##

She found him at the kitchen sink when she got out of the shower.

Checking to make sure Noah was sufficiently distracted by his cartoons, she wrapped her arms around Ed's waist from behind and rested her forehead between his shoulder blades.

He dried his hands on a towel and loosened her grasp on him enough so he could turn around.

Olivia brought one hand to the side of his neck, stroking her thumb on his cheek. "Thank you."

He shrugged modestly, "It was no problem."

"I don't just mean for breakfast, Ed," she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, a couple of soft kisses before she tilted her head against his, deepening the kiss and slipping her tongue into his mouth and massaging his before pulling away. "You are…" she paused, "you are so great." Her eyes darted between his. "I love you."

It wasn't the first, second or even third time she had that to him in the last twelve hours, and still he was no less winded by it now than he had been the night before.

"I love you, too."

##

 **A/N:** Until next time… Chapter 5 will likely include some Mother's Day festivities and I might get another Tuckson one-shot out in the coming days (time-travelling to S16, perhaps). Long live the #Tuckson.

P.S. Is it May 4th yet?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Funny story: I had about 4000+ words written for this chapter at one point. I was all proud that I was going to get another update out so quickly after finishing 'Change of Heart' (read that one, if you haven't** **). I proofread the draft, hated it, deleted it, and started over. Do me a solid: let me know if you loved/hated this when you're done?** **(Characters still aren't mine. But you knew that, so…)**

 **##**

Olivia sat enthralled, staring at two pictures on her desk, one of her and Noah, the other of her and her mother. The end of her pen pressed to her chin, she jumped when she heard the soft knock on her office door.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya," Rollins apologized. She moseyed into the office, her demeanor slightly awkward. The axis of their relationship had been off-kilter for the better part of a year, and they'd both been walking on eggshells trying to correct it.

Olivia smiled reassuringly at her detective. "No, it's fine. Just lost in thought for a minute there. What's up?"

Amanda shook her head, "Oh, I was just going to let you know I was headed out." Her gaze fell on the two frames Olivia had just been staring at and she lingered in her Lieutenant's office making small talk. "Big Mother's Day plans?"

Mother's Day

Olivia had a bittersweet relationship with this particular Hallmark-holiday, thanks to her drama-filled upbringing. The day's meaning had changed since Noah came into her life, but it was still one of those days of the year, along with her mothers birth and death dates, that her mind couldn't help but drift to Serena Benson every time she sat idle.

She leaned back in her chair in a gesture of welcome, and Rollins took the silent invitation and sat down in one of the guest chairs. "Uh, probably nothing too major. Just hanging around the house with my guy." Olivia smiled, "How about you? What will you and Jessie be up to?"

"Probably the same," Amanda nodded. "Mother's Day is kind of a weird holiday for me, with my mom… y'know," she shrugged.

Yes, Olivia did know. "I can relate," she chuckled. This was the most they'd interacted on matters unrelated to SVU in a while, and she paused in the silence to ruminate on how similar she and Rollins really were. Aside from the obvious comparisons – single parenthood and line of work – there were a lot of parallels between the two.

Once upon a time, they had a pretty good connection. Coffee, friendly banter… When Olivia was with Brian, she used to share things with Rollins; often implicitly seeking reassurance - which she often got - out of practice with relationships as she was. But that had changed over time and now they were more cautious with each other, as if one misstep would blow up the fragile sense of calmness that had washed over their relationship.

Olivia's office phone rang, interrupting her reverie. "Lieutenant Benson," she answered. There was a pause, and she tried to keep herself from smiling at the sound of Ed's raspy voice on the other end.

 _Oh, the feelings his voice could awaken in her…_

"Captain Tucker, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She looked up at Amanda, gesturing with her index finger to give her a second. Amanda nodded with a small smile, looking around the office as if _not_ looking directly at Olivia would mean that she wasn't going to hear every word of her half of the conversation. "Yeah, that sounds fine," Olivia, continued. Then, softer, "You, too." She set the phone back in its cradle and turned her attention back to Amanda. "Sorry about that."

Amanda waved her off. Ducking her head shyly, "So, Captain Tucker…seems like we've been seein' more of him lately." It was a statement, and also a question.

Olivia sighed, meeting Amanda's gaze. "He's become very important to me. And Noah." Rollins smiled. "Look, I know it's awkward for you given the history, and believe me," she narrowed her eyes, tapping a hand against her chest, laughing, "I understand. He arrested _me_ for murder once, but—"

Rollins held up a hand, stopping Olivia's explanation. "Lieutenant, you don't need my permission, or approval." They stared at each other in a comfortable pause before Olivia nodded, overcome, and Amanda got up to leave. When she was halfway to the door, she turned back to Olivia. "I've had my suspicions for a while. I _am_ a detective, after all," she deadpanned. Olivia chuckled in amused agreement, and when she stopped, they appraised each other again before Amanda added, "We all just need to trust each other, right?"

These words had been exchanged between them a couple different times through various squabbles they'd found themselves in over the past year. To hear them parroted back to her now, Olivia found herself feeling relieved. Perhaps this meant they were getting closer to moving on from all the drama. "Right," she smiled tightly, affected by the moment. "Thank you."

Rollins nodded and turned to leave, but Olivia called out to her. "Rol-," she started, and then corrected herself, opting for the more personal, "Amanda." The detective faced Olivia again. "Don't let them call you out on any cases this weekend." Amanda's head quirked in confusion, and Olivia continued. "The boys – they don't think about things the way we do sometimes. They probably won't put two-and-two together about it being Mother's Day. Don't let them call you out. Tell 'em I said to get someone else."

"Thanks, Liv," Amanda smiled.

"Enjoy your Mother's Day."

"You, too."

They weren't where they used to be, but they were getting there.

##

"Hey," Tucker greeted her when she walked into the apartment awhile later.

"Hey, babe," she flashed him a quick smile, and then squatted down to wrap her arms around her son. "And hello to you, my love."

"Hi Mommy," he allowed her to kiss him on the cheek, and then he was done with her affections, back to his coloring book.

She flopped back on the couch, smiling at Ed when he walked up and handed her a glass of wine. "Bless you," she said, only mildly exaggerating her need.

"That bad?" He sat down next to her, lifting her legs into his lap and removing her shoes.

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't really bad at all. Just tired." She took a sip of her wine and closed her eyes, savoring it. Opening them again, she connected immediately with the steel blue of his gaze. "Rollins and I talked today."

"She's your detective, you talk everyday," he said, rubbing the soles of her feet.

"God, that feels good," she sighed before continuing, "I mean we _really_ talked. Not long, but I think we might be on our way to more solid ground again." She paused, "She definitely knows about us now, she was in the office when you called. Didn't make a fuss." Truthfully, it wouldn't have mattered if she had, but it was still strangely liberating.

Ed nodded, "Good."

She shifted, settling further back into the couch and resting her eyes, one hand securing the wine glass on her stomach. "How was your day?"

He smiled at the visual in front of him – pure relaxation. If he let her, she would fall asleep right there. "Better now," he said softly.

She opened one eye and looked at him. She smiled, putting her wine glass on the coffee table. She sat up and reached for him. "C'mere." Her hands gripped the sides of his neck, just below his ears, and pulling him to her. She gave him a quick kiss at the corner of his mouth, before pulling away and murmuring _I love you_ against his lips, capturing them in a deeper kiss.

He pulled away first, running his hands up and down her upper arms. "I love you, too." She gave him one more kiss then leaned back again, sighing contentedly and closing her eyes when he resumed massaging her feet.

They were silent for a while. Noah was coloring, narrating a vivid story to himself about the characters he was bringing to life on the page. Ed and Olivia were half into the news on the TV, half in their own thoughts.

"Mother's Day is this Sunday," he reminded her gently, pulling her out of a fog. "Anything in particular you want to do?"

"A repeat of what's going on right now would be amazing," she replied, her eyes still closed.

"Hey," he called, and she looked at him. "You sure you don't want to do something a little more … extravagant? This is supposed to be your day."

"It is," she agreed. "And there's nothing that would make me happier than spending time at home with you guys," she assured. "I promise."

He smiled at her. "Well, there's still plenty of time between now and Sunday. If you think of anything…"

"You'll be the first to know," she winked. "Are there any good movies on tonight?"

"Not that I've seen," he informed her. "But…" He raised his eyebrows and changed the tone of his voice to grab Noah's attention, "There _is_ a Rangers playoff game tonight."

Noah whipped his head around and jumped up excitedly, "Hockey! Hockey! Hockey!"

Olivia, inches from being swallowed by the couch, craned her neck to look at Noah from her perch, laughing at his excitement. She turned back to E, smiling, "Well, I guess that settles that."

"How about some dinner first, kiddo?" Noah eyed Ed skeptically. _Are you going to force-feed me vegetables?_

"Pizza?" Noah suggested, in full-on negotiation mode.

Olivia looked from Ed, who nodded, back to her son. "Pizza."

##

The Rangers won and were advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Ed and Olivia took it upon themselves to repeatedly celebrate the victory after Noah went to sleep.

Olivia woke up early the following morning with a loud groan, stretching a muscle in her leg to get rid of the tightness she felt. Her toes came into contact with Ed's shin under the sheet, and he croaked at her cheekily, his body unmoving. "Sore?"

She turned her head to face him and she could see the slant of his smirk. He should trademark the damn thing. "Bastard."

He chuckled, reaching an arm over to intertwine their fingers. He looked at her. "Good morning."

"Humph," she replied stubbornly, burying her face in the pillow. He heard her say something else, but it was muffled in the pillow.

He shifted his body so he was lying on his side. "Try that one more time. The pillow was in the way," he teased.

She unburied her face, meeting his gaze, a small smile on her face. "I said: could we just stay here all day?"

He said nothing for a moment, lifting a hand to brush her hair – which was now going in about 300 different directions – away from her face. _This must be what she was like as a child._ "I have a feeling the ball of energy in the next room would have a problem with that."

Thinking of her son brought her a little more out of her stupor, and she lifted herself up on her forearms, leaning over to kiss Ed. "Mm, I guess that's true." She kissed him again, pulling back but staying close to his face, she let her eyes roam his features. "Good morning."

"What do you want for breakfast?" He traced her perfectly arched eyebrows with his fingertips and she closed her eyes, giving in to the sensation, before he traced her lips. When he ghosted his thumb across the seam of her lips, she puckered them in a quick kiss.

"Can I say _you_?"

His eyes darted to hers, and gave her a wicked grin when he saw the lust and desire swirling in her brown eyes. He shifted, rolling her onto her back and using his knees to knock hers apart before settling in the cradle of her hips. He ran his fingers through her hair and leaned down to capture her lips. "Always."

##

They finished their early morning lovemaking and narrowly escaped the burden of paying for years of therapy for Noah, who made an appearance within a few short minutes of them getting redressed under the covers of their bed.

When Olivia pulled her son into her lap on the bed, she shot Ed a look that he understood immediately. _The time had come to start locking the door_.

The trio sat in bed for a while watching TV together. Noah, who obviously had not been ready to wake up, fell back to sleep against Olivia's chest, and it looked, for a little while, like she might actually get her wish of staying in bed all day…until Ed's stomach growled.

He cast her a sidelong glance to see if she heard the rumble from his side of the bed, and he caught her trying to suppress laughter so that the shake of her body wouldn't disturb Noah's morning nap.

"I guess we need to start thinking about food?" she teased him.

"Might be a good idea," Ed ran a hand down Noah's back. "This one will be hungry when he wakes up, too."

Olivia moved to shift her son so he was more on the bed and less on her. "I'll go see what I can put together." Ed chanced a look out the window and stopped her with a hand on her forearm. "What's up?"

"Let's go out," he suggested with a shrug. "It's beautiful out. We can find a café and sit outside. Then maybe we can go to the park?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Who are you and what have you done with Ed Tucker?"

He rolled his eyes at her, "C'mon, Liv." He gave her his best puppy dog eyes as he leaned closer and closer to her over Noah's sleeping form. "Let's not waste a beautiful day being inside."

Her lips stretched into a slow smile just before his mouth landed on hers in a long peck.

"Gross!"

They pulled apart and looked down, laughing at the now-awake Noah who was covering his eyes.

"All right, you," Olivia teased, tickling him. Turning her attention back to Ed, she asked, "Can you get him dressed and ready while I jump in the shower?"

Ed smiled victoriously, "Sure thing, Lieutenant." He picked Noah up, carrying him upside down, a sturdy arm across his hips down the hall. "C'mon, kid."

##

They found a bistro near Central Park with a few outdoor tables, and because it was still on the early side of Saturday morning, they didn't have to wait long before they were seated.

After they ate, Ed and Olivia were mostly quiet while they watched the passersby. Olivia was sipping on a mimosa and Noah was playing with a couple of toy cars that his mom had allowed him to bring to keep him occupied at the breakfast table.

Ed paid the tab and when they noticed the crowd starting to thicken at the entrance to the main restaurant, they decided to pack it in so other people could have their table. Walking to the park, Ed and Olivia each held one of Noah's hands, repeatedly counting to 3 and lifting his feet off the ground for a while, until the sidewalk became smaller and there wasn't room enough for them and pedestrians coming from the opposite direction. At that point, Ed knelt down and piled Noah onto his shoulders the rest of the way.

"Mommy, look at me!" Noah patted the top of Ed's head.

"I see you, baby!" She smiled, squeezing his leg where it rested, dangling from Ed's shoulder. "You're so tall and strong," she added, winking at Ed while she laced her fingers through his.

They ambled through the winding pathways of the park, in no real hurry to get anywhere. They had seen some signs walking in for a singers/songwriters showcase that was going on now, and they wandered in the direction indicated to see what it was about.

Noah was starting to fidget at that point, and rather than let him take a tumble off his shoulders, Ed set him down again and both adults grasped his hands.

"Can I go chase ducks, Mommy?"

She looked down at him, smiling. "I don't know if they'll like you chasing after them, sweet boy." He started to pout and she knelt down to be eye level with him. "I don't want you to get hurt. What if they chase you back?" She shuddered at her own traumatizing childhood memory.

"I run fast!" he whined.

"I know you do, angel. You run so fast! And I am so proud," she appeased him. "How about you stay here with me and Ed for a little bit and maybe we can go say hi to some ducks when we're done here?"

She tried not to smile at the look on his face, which conveyed his deep distrust in her promises, but he didn't offer any further protest.

The showcase was more of a cover event; no one was singing any original songs, but the performers that were there sang beautifully and Olivia found herself getting into it. One girl in particular sang "The House that Built Me" by Miranda Lambert, and it struck a nerve in her, the one that missed her mom.

They stayed for a little bit longer when Olivia realized that Noah was getting pretty sleepy. She hoisted him onto her hip and he faded in and out of sleep on her shoulder. When she was sure he was out, she squeezed Ed's hand that she had been holding and tilted her head back in the direction where they came from.

"Want me to take him?"

"No, it's okay. I don't want him to wake up," she grinned. When they exited the park, they walked a couple more blocks before hailing a cab back to the apartment.

##

With Noah down for a nap, Olivia and Ed relaxed on the couch, flipping channels and watching bits and pieces of old movies. He was laying across the couch, and she was tucked in between him and the back cushion, one leg thrown between his, her head tucked on his chest, eyes on the TV.

He had been keeping a subtle eye on her all afternoon, ever since the showcase, and though she was putting on a good front, speaking the lines in time with Forrest Gump and A League of Their Own to elicit laughs out of him, the usual brightness in her eyes was muted.

She had been quiet for a while, the activity of the day catching up to her, when he squeezed the arm wrapped around her back to get her attention. She shifted her head to look at him, "Hmm?"

"You okay?"

She furrowed her brow. "'Course. Why?"

He shrugged, looking at her worriedly. "You just seem quiet." He paused, "Usually, I can't get you to shut up." His eyes were dancing with humor, but they didn't betray the real concern she saw on his face.

"If you're trying to stay on my good side, you're doing it wrong," she joked. He chuckled, relieved to see a bit of her spark again, "But seriously, Ed, I'm fine. I'm just tired. This week has worn me out."

It wasn't a lie, necessarily. She was worn out, but it was more from the thoughts in her mind that she couldn't quiet, and not so much from work like she knew he would assume.

"There you go getting all thoughtful again," Ed challenged.

She looked at him, resigned. "Truth?"

He nodded, "Please."

She sighed. "I _am_ fine," he narrowed his eyes at her, tilting his head. "I am," she insisted. "I just…" he looked at her intently as she struggled to find the words. "I've been thinking a lot about my mom the past couple of days," she started, "and it's been messing with my head a little."

"I know you had it rough with her."

She nodded, "It's not even just that." She leaned back, taking some of her weight off of his body and playing with bunches of fabric on his shirt. "It's hard, having Noah, and her not being here…to meet him, to see me with him, y'know?" Her gaze found the photo of her and her mom on the entertainment center. "I hated her, sometimes. A lot, actually, especially when I was growing up. But…she was my mom."

"Liv—" She shook her head, swallowing deeply to get rid of the tears before they could fall.

She leaned up and kissed him, grabbing his face with the hand that wasn't squished between them. "Ed," she breathed against his mouth. "I don't want to talk about this now." She kissed him again, her tongue finding his in his mouth and he moaned. "I love you—"

"Love you," He took her bottom lip between his and tugged.

Before she dove back in to devour his mouth again, she paused, shifting so she was straddling him on the couch, hands against his chest. "I just want to enjoy this weekend..." she kissed his lips quickly.

He nodded and wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm happy to do whatever I can to help."

She smiled at him. "Glad to hear it." Her eyes locked on his. "Kiss me."

Ed didn't need to be told twice. He sat up, nearly knocking her to the floor with the force of his mouth crashing to hers, and she groaned in delight, holding his head in both of her hands and kissing him back with equal ardor. As the intensity grew, the speed went in the opposite direction, until their mouths were moving together to a much slower rhythm. He tilted his head against hers to deepen the kiss further, and she whimpered into his mouth, moving one hand from his head to his chest to push him back against the armrest of the couch.

She knew they were not going to have sex on the couch. Not now, when Noah could wake up at literally any moment and come walking out. But his kisses had lit a fire in her belly and she could not stop the arousal from building up. She felt his hand skate up her stomach and over her breast.

She had half a mind to stop him, to prevent this from escalating too far for them to rein it in, but the other half of her mind was too turned on to care. She rolled her hips over his growing erection and moaned softly, tearing her mouth from his and leaning down to kiss his neck, her warm breath tickling his skin as she panted.

His hands had just snuck around to grab at her ass when she heard the faint sound of Noah calling her name from his bedroom. She groaned against Ed's neck, and the bastard had the nerve to chuckle at her frustration between his own gasps for breath. She leaned back, and she imagined the arousal she saw running rampant in his eyes was probably a good reflection of what he must have seen in hers.

She kissed him briefly before hauling herself off of his deliciously rigid body. He stood up after her, and she smirked when she glanced back and saw him adjusting himself in his shorts on the way to their bathroom. He was still panting. "I'm gonna go…" he gestured to his crotch, "Calm this down a bit."

She smiled at him - a real, full smile - and he stopped in his tracks for a minute before she kissed him, pushing on his chest to get him to go to their bedroom.

"Go, Ed," she prodded, laughing. When she reached Noah's doorway she turned back and saw Ed still watching her, this time from the doorway to their bathroom. _Go,_ she mouthed at him, waving her hands.

For now, the heavy conversation was forgotten and Ed was happy to have gotten a laugh out of her, hopefully pulling her out of the funk she was in.

##

She was in the bathroom getting ready for bed that night when Ed walked up and leaned against the wall behind her, looking at her reflection. "You doing better?"

Her eyes met his in the mirror. "Yeah," she smiled. "Why?"

He smirked at her. "You're about to brush your teeth with your hand cream," he said, matter-of-factly.

Her eyes widened and she looked down at her hands, finding her toothbrush in her left hand and – like Ed said – her Mary Kay hand cream in the other. "Shit," she said, chuckling. "Nice save," she added, winking at him.

He shrugged, "I try."

She started running the brush over her teeth, her eyes never leaving his in the mirror. She spat, rinsing her brush. "What's up?" Their nightly routine, aside from the occasional shower sex, was not something they normally did using the buddy system.

He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, settling his chin on her shoulder. "Just wanted to be near you." Olivia rested a hand over his that were clasped over her stomach, leaning back into his chest. "She would have been proud of you, y'know," he murmured. He didn't move his eyes from her face, but the weight of his stare was too heavy for her, and her head ducked down. He felt her take a deep breath under his arms.

"You can't know that," she said, her voice barely higher than a whisper. Dismissively, she added, "You didn't know her."

He squeezed her in his arms to draw her eyes back to his and when she obliged, he said softly, but forcefully, "I don't have to." Her lip trembled with the effort it took not to cry at his words, but her resistance was futile. "You know how I know she's proud of you?" She couldn't have spoken in that moment if she wanted to. He took her lack of response as a cue to continue. "Because I watch you with that boy every single day. I see the way he looks at you. As far as that kid is concerned, you hung the moon, Olivia." She smiled through her tears. "You saved him from a crazy, fucked up situation… All he's ever going to know now is love." He paused and let his words sink in. "That's because of _you_." He let out a quick, humorless laugh. "How could she _not_ be proud of you for being exactly who you are?"

He knew that she had taken a big leap earlier, in being open with him about what she was feeling, even if she didn't share everything. The fact that she opened up at all was big, and he wanted to reciprocate by letting his guard down, too. She liked to tease him about getting soft in his old age, but the truth was that when it came to her and what he felt for her, the hard exterior of the IAB Captain she was familiar with faded away.

She was surprised by his intensity. Well, no, not really – his intensity was the one constant thing she understood about him until that drink all those months ago. What was new was how he used it – in moments like this one, telling her things he had to know she wouldn't want to believe, but needed to hear.

She disconnected his hands from around her and turned, saying really the only thing she knew would come out the way she wanted it to. "Thank you." She kissed him, softly, slowly.

He brought his hands to her hair and rested his forehead against hers. "Don't thank me for that. It's the truth, Liv."

Her eyes darted between his, and she kissed him again. "C'mon," she whispered, taking his hand and guiding him to the bed. She climbed in, turning on her side to face him and he mirrored her position, their hands intertwined together, only inches separating their faces. "It's not all me, you know," she said softly.

His brow furrowed. "What?"

"What you said about Noah," she started. "I'm not the only one who's had a hand in that." She ran her thumb across his bottom lip. "You complete us," she quipped with a smile, trying to lighten the mood a little.

His eyes twinkled in amusement and he chuckled.

"Seriously, though," she held his gaze. "He loves you." _Like a father._

"I love him." _Like he's my own._

She nodded, and then leaned in, capturing his lips in a lazy kiss. When they pulled away, slightly out of breath, she settled a little further into her pillow and eyed him. "Tell me a joke."

"What?"

She poked at his chest, teasing him. "I was perfectly content to let all this go earlier. _You_ brought it up again." She narrowed her eyes at him in challenge, "Make me laugh."

He was never good at being Johnny-On-The-Spot with jokes. Sarcasm? Absolutely. Jokes? Not so much. So he pretended to think about it for a minute, eyeing her with an open-mouthed smirk, and when she least expected it, he lunged. His fingers tickled her sides mercilessly until she was literally crying _Uncle!_

Catching her breath and holding his hands away from her in a vice grip she choked out, "Bastard!"

He slowly pulled his hands out of her grasp and folded them behind his head, looking at her smugly. "You asked," he taunted. She huffed at him, playfully, before flopping on her back. When Ed called to her, she turned to look at him expectantly. "I love you," he said.

She smiled. "I know. I love you, too." She allowed him to pull her body into his side and after placing a gentle kiss against his chest and letting her heart rate come down a little, she drifted into peaceful sleep.

##

Morning brought another breakfast in bed, proudly made for her by Noah and Ed. This time, it was French toast, and she was no less amazed by their culinary skills this time than she was the first.

They presented her with Mother's Day cards, and she was moved to tears when she saw that Noah had handmade hers. She couldn't immediately identify the shapes in the picture he'd drawn on the front cover, bless his heart, so she pulled him into her lap and snuggled him close while she asked him to show her his picture.

His finger pointed to a small blob, "This is Noah," he started, referring himself in the third person.

"He's handsome," she marveled.

Noah giggled shyly, moving on to the next shape. "And this is you, Mommy."

"And who's this?" she asked, pointing to the final blob on the cover.

"This is Mr. Ed," Noah declared. "He strong!" Noah mimed flexing his biceps, his face a show of concentration.

Olivia couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, sweet boy," she agreed, kissing him. "Mr. Ed is strong." She looked up into his smiling eyes and winked. "And what's this?" she asked, gesturing to the lines drawn around them.

"It's a heart, 'cuz we're famlee," Noah responded earnestly.

Olivia's eyes fixed on Ed's and when she spoke, her voice cracked from the emotion stuck in her throat. "That's right, my love. We are family." She kissed Noah's temple and mouthed _I love you_ to Ed. He answered her with a watery smile.

Noah gave her a necklace with both of their birthstones in the pendant, and between showering Noah with little kisses in thanks she silently communicated the same with Ed with her eyes, knowing Ed had to have taken her son shopping to pick this out.

Ed, who had been a little lost in what to get her, having no sisters and a mother who, like Olivia's, had passed on a long time ago, had consulted with Ben to get some ideas. While Ben hadn't explicitly given him this one, he had led Ed down the correct path, and when Olivia practically knocked him backwards with her grateful hug, Ed made a mental note to buy the younger man a drink to thank him.

Ed had gifted her with a session with a professional photographer with whom he had signed a contract. The result of this shoot would be photos of all 3 of them, in various combinations. Given Olivia's love for keepsakes, this was the perfect gift, and she was blown away by his thoughtfulness.

Ultimately, Olivia had gotten her wish, spending a day at home: relaxing, playing games, dancing around the living room with her favorite little boy.

When she fell asleep on the couch later in the afternoon after watching the umpteenth Pixar movie, Ed and Noah baked a batch of cookies. It was the smell of chocolate that pulled her out of her slumber. She sat up and perched her chin on the back of the couch. "What ya got there, Mr. & Mr. Crocker?"

"Cookies!" Noah shrieked, excitedly.

Olivia raised her eyebrow at Ed, laughing, "And how much cookie dough has he eaten, exactly?"

"What?" Ed asked incredulously. "It's a rite of passage, licking the spoon."

"I've never done it."

Ed looked at her, his face aghast. "Seriously?"

"What is the big deal?"

Ed rounded the counter and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the couch. "Get in here, you." She walked into the kitchen, kissing Noah on the forehead and then leaning into the spoon that Ed was holding out for her. Her lips closed around it, and her eyes closed when the sugary batter made her cheeks tighten and tingle. "Wow," she said, pulling away. "I stand corrected."

"Let me taste," Ed requested. She saw the devilish grin on his face and was going to retort, but his lips were on hers too quickly for her to interject. He swept his tongue into her mouth briefly. "Mm, that is good."

"YUCK!" Noah yelled.

She smiled at her son, resting her head against Ed's chest as she stepped into his embrace.

"Happy Mother's Day," Ed whispered into her hair. She squeezed her arm around his waist and reached out to _boop_ Noah's nose.

"Thank you."

##

 **I tried so hard to exclude the heavier topic of Olivia's mom, but it didn't feel right to me to have a Mother's Day chapter and not include something about Serena… I just hope it wasn't too much & that I blended it well enough with the banter that it wasn't a huge downer. Forgive me? :-$ The next chapter will be so fluffy, it might as well be a cloud in #Tuckson heaven. **

**#FashionableCrimes in a few days. That's right, I said DAYS. Tuck yes!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I had two guest reviewers from the last chapter who were on opposite sides of the fence on my choice to have the Rangers move on to round two. I'm not a fan of theirs (Go Preds) but I wanted to have that door open for later. :) On to the next… I have no idea how the Met is laid out or how it would be set up for a function, so use your imaginations there. Characters aren't mine. Feedback is always appreciated!**

 **##**

" _You're like the thing that makes the universe explode into the colors of a world I've never known. You keep turning, keep turning my life around." –_ Kaleidoscope, A Great Big World

##

Just ten steps away from salvation – ten steps until she boarded the elevator that would take her down, away from the hellish few days SVU had just survived. The only things she could think about were hugging her son and kissing Ed, and making this whole week go very, very far away.

As she was approaching the elevator, the doors slid open and her eyes slipped shut in disappointment when Chief Dodds walked out. "Lieutenant!" He clapped his hands together. "Perfect timing, I was just coming to see you."

 _Lucky me._

"Oh, yeah?" She gave him a tight smile. "Listen, Chief, if it's not very important, could you talk to me on the way down the elevator? I'm in kind of a hurry to get home tonight."

"Sure, sure…" he held the elevator doors opened and allowed her to walk past him into the vestibule. "So, I was hoping you could do me a favor."

She stepped in, and though she was not religious and wasn't sure she believed in God, she tossed her head back and said a silent prayer.

 _Please give me the strength not to murder this man with my bare hands._

 _Amen._

##

She could hear Ed grumbling to himself in the bedroom and a glance in his direction found him fighting with his tie. "You all right over there?" she asked playfully.

He heaved an exaggerated sigh, "I don't understand why I have to wear this stupid suit."

She leaned away from the mirror where she was applying the final touches to her makeup and gave him an impatient look. "You wear that suit _all the time_ for work. What is the big deal?" It was one of her favorites: dark blue one. She made him wear a white shirt and a red tie to go with it – the completed ensemble always made his eyes pop.

"This isn't _work_!" he complained. She rolled her eyes and ducked back into the bathroom to finish her makeup. He called to her, "Do we really have to go to this stupid thing?"

"Yes," she replied, exasperated. "We have to go." She shook her head, though he couldn't see her. Tongue-in-cheek, she added, "You're a bigger baby than my 3-year-old sometimes, ya know that?"

"Dipshit didn't ask _me_ ," he whined under his breath, ignoring her. He walked into the bathroom, having won the battle with his tie, and leaned against the wall behind her.

"No, he asked me to make an appearance for the white-shirts. But you are with me. So when he asks me to go, _we_ go," she explained for the umpteenth time, simpering at him in the mirror. She shrugged, "Unless you'd rather I go alone. I suppose I could fend him off on my own, but he _has_ been kind of flirtatious lately…" she trailed off, knowing it would get a rise out of him.

Ed didn't get jealous or possessive often – he knew she was his. But Dodds… He didn't trust the guy, and he'd be damned if she was going to anything with that leech there without him.

"Alright, alright… You've made your point," he caved. He eyed her appreciatively. Not wanting to get makeup on her dress, she stood before him in a black strapless bra and matching panties.

She paused, lip-liner in-hand, and held up the index finger of her other hand at him as she caught the predatory look in his eyes. "Nuh-uh," she smiled. "Don't even think about it."

"I'm always thinking about it." His hands found her waist and he leaned in, planting soft kisses at the juncture between her neck and shoulder. She tried to wriggle away from him, but found herself melting into his affections, angling her head away from his mouth to give him more room. "You smell amazing," he breathed.

Her lips twitched in a small smile, submitting to him for the moment. When she felt his teeth graze her skin, she removed his hands from her waist and stepped away from him, grinning at the disappointed look on his face. "Oh, no," she laughed. "We don't have time for that."

She fled the bathroom and headed for the closet, pulling out the dress she had picked for the evening. It was a maroon cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline – just low enough to make her feel womanly without giving too much of a show to the literally hundreds of men she would be around tonight. The bodice itself was curve hugging, but it flared out past her hips, giving it a twirly quality, which she fully intended to use on the dance floor.

She pulled it up her body and settled the straps on her shoulders before awkwardly reaching behind her and pulling the zipper as high as she could without causing herself pain. In her peripheral vision, she saw him make his way out of the bathroom and as he stalked toward her, she could smell the aftershave wafting from his body and had to suppress a moan. Giving him a flirty look, she whispered, "Zip me up?"

His hands reached for the zipper and tugged up, and when he was done, he leaned into her hear and breathed, "I would much rather be zipping it _down_."

The combination of his aftershave, his proximity and his words was heady, and her eyes drifted closed quickly before she recovered, turning around and putting some distance between them. She adjusted his tie, running her palm against his chest down the silky material and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"All in due time, Captain."

##

They left for the Met as soon as Lucy arrived to watch Noah for them. Since Noah was in pre-school now, they were using her less and less, but Olivia liked the girl and wanted to keep her around for things like this. She and Noah were both comfortable with her already.

Plus, she thought hopefully, maybe someday they would add another child to the mix, and they would likely need her help with that one, too.

Ed exited the cab first before jogging around to her side and opening her door, offering his hand to help pull her out of the car. When she was standing, he kept her hand in his and leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. "In case I forget to mention, you look gorgeous tonight, Lieutenant."

She met his eyes and the kaleidoscope of emotions she saw in them was like a sucker punch to the gut. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Shall we?" He gestured toward the staircase leading into the museum and she smiled, pleased he'd dropped the petulant act from when he was getting ready, as she began walking.

This was an NYPD event, for charity, complete with open bar, live music and a silent auction. This was the first year she'd been asked to attend by the Chief, and as much as she hated rubbing elbows with the _good ole boys_ , she didn't trust Dodds and felt it was in her best interest to play the game in situations like this.

The brass knew about their relationship, but they still didn't want to flaunt, so they kept their touches to a minimum and kept only a couple of fingers linked together as they walked in, weaving through the formally dressed attendees toward the bar.

As they approached, she saw her Sergeant leaning up against the bar talking to a blonde. "Hey Mike," she greeted. At the interruption, the blonde whipped her head around and Olivia's eyes widened. "Rollins," she stammered, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Amanda was caught off-guard and couldn't spit out the words fast enough, so the Sergeant came to her rescue. "I asked her to come," he explained quickly. "I didn't know you two were coming, and I really needed a buffer from my dad." He laughed, "You understand."

It was just as well; Olivia thought she'd seen more of a spark between Rollins and Carisi, anyway.

"Of course," Olivia assured. When Ed and Mike started up a conversation about baseball, she turned her attention to Amanda, "You look great, Amanda. I didn't even recognize you from behind." Amanda was wearing a white, strapless dress that went almost all the way down to the floor. Her hair was swept up and off to the side in a perfectly messy bun.

"Thanks, Lieutenant," she smiled shyly. "So do you." Then, Amanda leaned in closer to Olivia, whispering in her ear, "I swear, I'm only here as a favor to Mike. There's nothing…"

Olivia quieted her with a hand to her forearm. "Don't worry about it. I'm not going to give you a hard time. I came to something like this with my old partner years ago, and he was married." She corrected herself, "Is married." Then, deciding it didn't matter, she shook her head, dismissing that line of conversation. "Any Daddy Dodds sightings?"

Normally, she didn't partake of the nicknames that the rest of the squad used to distinguish the Sergeant and his father, the Chief, choosing to err on the side of decorum. But, they weren't on the clock, and the guy was an ass, so she wasn't going to worry about it tonight.

Amanda smiled, "He's circulating." Her eyes scanned the crowd. "I've been trying to keep my eyes on him all night. I'm not in the mood for a sneak attack," she looked at Olivia wryly.

"Is anyone ever, when it comes to him?" Olivia retorted.

Mike noticed they were without drinks and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "So, Captain, Lieutenant… What are we drinking? It's on me," he winked. It was an open bar.

Ed turned and gave Olivia a look, asking a question only with his eyes, their silent communication. She nodded and he ordered one glass of cabernet for her and bourbon for himself.

The foursome meandered away from the bar once they got their drinks, as it was getting crowded, and created a little circle amongst themselves in the main reception space. Olivia held her wine glass in her right hand and her pinky and ring fingers of her left hand were still tangled with Ed's: their own little gesture of togetherness. Every so often, she would feel one of his fingers rub her knuckles and she would squeeze his hand in return.

They were engrossed in conversation, Mike and Ed talking about the prospects for the Yankees new season, Olivia and Amanda swapping baby stories, when Amanda looked up and muttered under her breath. "Shit. We've been spotted."

Only seconds later, Olivia felt a hand on her right upper arm and had to fight her natural reaction to rip her arm away from him. She felt Ed's grip on her hand change and he tugged her imperceptibly closer to his body. Clearly, he didn't like the touching either.

"Lieutenant," Chief Dodds greeted, a fake smile pasted on his face. He eyed Tucker. "I didn't know you were bringing Tucker," he said, making a show of his disappointment.

"I didn't realize I needed to let you know, Chief. You said I had a plus-one," she bristled, trying to subtly wriggle her arm from under his grasp. "Considering I almost lost my job over our relationship," she gestured between her and Ed, "I figured it would be expected that we would be attending these things together."

"You're right, I'm sorry," he said insincerely. He scanned the foursome, nodding at his son and looking at Amanda, who was studying the detail of Olivia's shoes, before excusing himself. "I should go mingle." He gestured toward the dance floor. "Enjoy yourselves!"

When he finally walked away, the four of them let out a collective breath. "I hate that guy," Ed muttered. Then, realizing he was standing in the company of _that guy_ 's son, he added a half-hearted apology.

Mike waved his hands and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Our opinions of him are not as different as you think," he assured Ed, bitterly.

Olivia looked up at Ed and noticed that his face had adopted that hard quality that it used to have, before her. She settled her body against him, disengaging her hand from his and running it up and down his arm. "Let it go," she whispered in his ear, planting a kiss just below his lobe. "Let it go," she repeated.

He nodded quickly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and kissing her forehead. He felt the agitation roll off of him slowly. It was actually kind of nice, being able to hold her like this, in a place like this… full of their brothers and sisters in blue whom they used to have to hide from. The nightmare of the trafficking case was undisputable, but the silver lining of that was their forced disclosure. They were finally free to be _them._

Mike and Amanda watched the two lovers, glancing at each other and sharing a small smile.

Amanda had been around for the Brian phase, and they were affectionate. But this… this was something different entirely.

##

They were sitting at a table with Mike, Amanda and a couple buddies of Mike's from when he worked in homicide a few years back. They were definitely the older pair at the table, and spent more time having private whispered conversations than keeping up with what the _kids_ , as Ed had called them, were talking about. She had her legs crossed into him, so the calf of her top leg was nestled just under his knee. He hand a hand on her knee and an arm draped across the back of her chair.

As they sat, they were approached a couple times by some colleagues of Ed's and then her old partner from before she was at SVU, making small talk and catching up without getting into any real detail.

Finally, they were alone again, and Ed dragged his fingertip along the line of exposed skin where her dress ended at her knees. "Want to dance?"

She leaned back, assessing him with a twinkle in her eye. "That piano bar really got into you, didn't it?"

He smirked and shook his head, removing his hand from her knee to brush a stray hair behind her ear. "No, that was all you."

"You've been giving me a lot of credit lately," she observed, referencing their conversation the day before Mother's Day.

He shrugged, "Just what you deserve. I should actually give you more." She smiled at him, bringing a hand up to her lips and kissing him there; it was a familiar gesture for them, sometimes almost more intimate than kissing lip-to-lip. "So, how about that dance?"

"Lead the way, Captain," she said, grasping his hand and standing up.

As they moved on the dance floor, her subordinates looked on. "They're really in love, aren't they?" Rollins mused, wistfully.

"It would appear that they are." He paused. "I'm happy for her."

Whereas some of unit was a little put off by their relationship at first because it was Tucker, the Sergeant didn't have the same history and was able to look at the relationship with less judgment. The history was no matter to him, because he hadn't been around for it. The way he saw it, everyone deserves a shot at happiness. If Tucker was Olivia's, then she should have that. For herself and for Noah.

Rollins turned to smile at him, "Me too. If anyone deserves that, it's Liv."

##

Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and his were settled on the small of her back.

Their faces were just inches apart, and they were looking in each others' eyes as they spoke in whispers over the song, _One Great Mystery_ by Lady Antebellum.

She teased him about something, and he made that face, that mouth-slightly-open smirk, and her brown eyes went a shade darker. "That look."

His brow furrowed, "What look?"

"That smirk. _Your_ smirk," she whined. "That's the look that did me in the first night we had drinks."

He looked at her quizzically. "What are you talking about, crazy?"

"You made that face when you told me I should try the bourbon," she replied, leading him down memory lane. Realization dawned on him, and she continued, "Yeah. I was putty in your hands the second you looked at me like that. That was when I first realized things were changing."

"You never said anything back then," he prodded.

"Well," she said matter-of-factly, "I couldn't give you that power."

He chuckled. "What else do I do that has that effect on you?"

She laughed, "I'm not doing this here."

"Why?" He prodded. He leaned in close to her ear, "Is it dirty?"

She took a hand from around his neck and smacked his chest. "You are impossible."

 _One Great Mystery_ faded into _One Call Away_ by Charlie Puth, and Ed pulled her a little tighter and whispered in her ear, "Can I tell you a secret?" She nodded almost imperceptibly, affected by his proximity. "You have your own little quirks, you know…" One of his hands came up from her back and he touched the skin just above her eye. "This eyebrow… You do a little thing when you lift it. Just this one," he said, mystified. "It might be the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

"My eyebrow is sexy?" she said, chuckling in disbelief. "I really do have you whipped, don't I?"

"Not just your eyebrow," he said simply. He leaned down, capturing her lips in a brief kiss.

"Good to know," her voice was throaty.

His breath was starting to quicken, just from one kiss and being near her. He looked up and scanned the hall. "Come with me."

She held tight to his hand and moved as quickly through the other dancers as she could in her heels. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere not in front of all these people," he tossed back at her, moving quickly out of the reception hall and taking a few turns down hallways until people thinned out and they were able to find a quiet corner.

##

He backed her into a corner, literally. His hands were on her hips and he was looking at her in such a way that she felt a rush of heat cover her cheeks and the part of her chest that was exposed from her dress.

"What has gotten into you tonight?" She asked, amused. Aroused.

"You," he answered, ducking his head to her neck and planting kisses there. "Always you."

He found her lips and she kissed him back hungrily, grasping at his head with both of her hands, keeping him steady. He pressed his body against hers and she whimpered into his mouth. She tore her mouth from his, breathing heavily. She panted into his ear, "Ed, we can't do this here."

He groaned, a hand snaking up her stomach to rest just below her breast, grazing the underside of it but refusing to go any higher. _Tease._ "Why not?"

She breathed out a laugh. "Um, we're in public," she started, helping him when he lifted her leg around his hip. "We're co- _oh_ -ops," she stammered, when he pressed himself against her. "And there are about," _Oh god_ , "a thousand more cops just around the corner."

He continued grinding into her, capturing her lips with his again. "So what?"

She moved her mouth expertly in tandem with his, before rubbing her hand down his tie again, pushing him away so she could get some air. " _So what?_ " She laughed, panting. "The last thing we need is to get busted having sex in a corner of the Met, Ed. Not with practically the entire fucking department just down the hall."

She smiled at him to cushion the blow and kissed him sweetly. He ran his hands up and down her arms. "… But we can have sex in the Met when there _aren't_ a thousand cops in the building?" he asked sarcastically, and maybe a little bit hopefully.

She gave him a sultry smile, quirking that eyebrow up that apparently he loved so much. "You never know." She kissed him softly again. "This was fun," she said brightly. He glared at her playfully mumbling something about it would be more fun if she let him do what he wanted to do. She rolled her eyes. "Are you good…?" Her eyes drifted down to his crotch. "Or do you need a minute?"

"You go ahead," he told her. "I need to cool down and I'll never be able to do that with you here," his eyes raked over her, "dressed like that."

"I'll meet you back at the table," she winked at him and turned to walk away.

"Liv."

She turned to face him again.

"I love you." He said it so sincerely, his hands in is pockets, leaning against the wall and giving her that half-smile that made her weak.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled at him, touched by the sentiment in a whole new way than the butterflies it elicited normally. "I love you, too."

##

"Where did you guys disappear to?" Amanda asked when Olivia rejoined the table.

"Uh… we were dancing. Ed just went to the restroom," Olivia replied, smiling tightly. Not a complete lie; but not the complete truth, either. Mike pursed his lips and looked down at the table in realization.

Amanda tilted her head, sparing a brief glance back at her Sergeant. "We looked…." _Shut up, Rollins_ , Olivia thought forcefully.

But then Mike, bless him, interjected, saving her. "I thought I saw them at the bar. I figured they were in the clear." At Olivia's face, he explained, "My dad was on the prowl again."

Olivia nodded exaggeratedly, "Ah, well, thanks for helping us dodge that bullet." She felt a hand on her shoulder and she covered it with her own, knowing immediately whom it belonged to. "Hey, you," she said, looking up at Ed.

"What'd I miss?" he asked, sitting down.

"We missed Dipshit, apparently," she said, using Ed's private nickname for the Chief, which elicited chuckles out of Amanda and Mike.

"So," Ed said softly in her ear, "at what point is it decided that we've wasted enough of our evening here?"

She looked at him then turned to Mike and Amanda. "I think we're going to go, guys. I have Lucy with Noah right now, if we hurry we can make bedtime."

"Sure," Mike nodded. "This was fun, despite it's disastrous potential." He shook Ed's hand and gave Olivia a friendly hug.

"We should grab drinks sometime," Ed offered. Olivia was only mildly surprised. Despite Ed's disdain for the Senior Dodds, he had gained respect for Mike from his brief tenure as CO of SVU. The respect seemed to be mutual; she was just glad that get-togethers and after work drinks with her squad weren't going to be painfully awkward if Ed ever wanted to join in.

"I'm glad we ran into you two. Definitely made the evening better," she winked at Amanda.

"Get home safe," Amanda smiled.

Ed draped an arm over Olivia's shoulder and she wrapped her arm around his waist. "That wasn't so bad," she hazarded.

"I could think of a lot of things that are better."

"Like…?"

"You'll see," he taunted. She turned to look at him and saw the smirk on his face. _The_ smirk.

 _Bastard._

##

"I think I want to have the squad over for dinner sometime soon," she pondered out loud the next day while she was reading the paper.

"Why?" _Typical._

She laughed, "Does it have to be a special occasion to have friends over and hang out?" She flipped another page. "It's been awhile since I had everyone over." She looked up, thinking. "I think since Noah's adoption was finalized."

"So when do you want to do this? Today?" He popped a piece of popcorn in his mouth, hitting a button the remote to switch the TV to another channel.

"No," she shook her head. "I'll have to plan something. Get a menu together." She scanned the living room, raising her eyebrows. "Clean the place. Maybe in a few weeks," she shrugged.

He nodded absently. "Sounds good. Whatever you want."

She glanced up at him. "You and Junior Dodds seemed to be getting along pretty well last night," she said.

He looked at her. "He's a good kid." A beat, then, "Despite the gene pool he comes from." He smirked and she shook her head. "When is Little Man coming back?"

Heather had offered to use an extra ticket she had for a craft show to Noah and take him off Ed and Olivia's hands for the morning. There was a kid's corner and Noah had been excited to make sand art and paint bottles.

Olivia glanced at the clock on the cable box. "The crafts fair started about an hour ago… I give Heather maybe another hour before she gets sick of lugging two kids around." He nodded. "Why, you miss him?"

"I always miss him when he's not here," he shrugged.

 _Jesus._

He noted the silence on her end of the couch and looked at her nervously. "What?"

"You have no idea what it does to me when you say things like that, do you?" she asked, stupefied.

"Do you prefer I not say things like that?" he asked, confused.

She wiped a stray tear from her eye and smiled. "Just the opposite, actually." She reached for his hand and squeezed it when he complied. "I love how much you love him."

"What's not to love?" his shoulder jerked in a half-shrug. His demeanor became pensive, then. "Can I ask you something?"

Something in his tone made nerves swell in the pit of her stomach and settle like lead. She put the paper down, giving him her undivided attention. "Sure," she said, cautiously.

He took a steadying breath and failed a few attempts to meet her eyes before his gaze finally settled on hers. "Do you ever…. do you ever think about adopting another kid?"

She deflated. Relief washed over her. Relief and whole new, different, set of nerves. She cleared her throat, running her fingers over her scalp before taking a deep breath. "Wow, uh… yeah," she responded, albeit a little shakily. "I've thought about it." Realizing he hadn't explicitly made his intent behind the question clear, she asked nervously, "Is that something _you_ want? Is that why you're asking?"

He nodded, squeezing her hand. "I've been thinking about it lately." He ran his index finger along the underside of her palm. "I never thought I was cut out to be a father, Liv. Didn't think I had _the gift_ , to love another person that much, unconditionally." She sat quietly, watching, listening, with bated breath. "But I feel like a father, to Noah. I love him like one. And I wouldn't… be against the idea of bringing another kid in here, with you."

This wasn't something he'd planned on wanting when they transformed their professional relationship into a personal one. Truthfully, it had been enough of an adjustment – at first – dating a woman with a young child. He wasn't used to it, wasn't sure if kids even liked him all that much. But he and Noah bonded quickly, and their bond was deep. He valued being responsible, in some small way, for the man that Noah would one day become – even if he wasn't part of the equation down the road. He wanted to be; he had faith in his and Olivia's relationship, that they would overcome whatever obstacles… but just in case the universe had other plans, he tried to teach Noah something new everyday and not take their presence in each other's lives for granted.

She didn't even know where to start in responding to this, his most unexpected of confessions. "Wow," she said, through tears. She scooted closer to him and placed a hand on his knee, squeezing softly, yet firmly. "First of all, you are the only father Noah has ever really known, and he loves you so much. I know he does. You could not be better to him, or better for him. I am so thankful, Ed." She took a shaky breath. "And second, I would absolutely be open to the idea of adopting another child… with you. But," and he tensed ever so slightly, "I do think we need to wait a little while, for the right time."

He nodded, relieved. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she kissed him softly. "I'm glad we know where we each stand on that," she laughed.

"Me, too."

"I love you," she repeated.

He chuckled, "You said that already."

"I guess I really mean it, then," she teased.

"I love you, too." He paused. "Now I really want Noah to come home," Ed pouted.

She laughed; a deep, belly laugh; one that practically came from her toes.

She was happy.

##

 **A/N:** Next update will be after Fashionable Crimes! Might have another oneshot to come soon, too. As always, thanks for reading  & if there's anything in particular you'd like to see – in this fic or something separate – let me know. Open to ideas :)


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Some missing elements of Fashionable Crimes in here, so SPOILER ALERT for the episode if you haven't seen it yet. BRB, gonna go watch the final scene and cry. Again. [Note: I used the episode as a basis, but they live in my world here, so I didn't necessarily follow the days in the ep :)] My apologies if some of this isn't my best! Mistakes are mine. On with the show…**

##

Olivia was sitting at her desk going through emails when Munch sauntered in late in the afternoon.

"Well, _Lieutenant_ ," he said with a sly grin. "I think my work here is done."

She took off her reading glasses, perching them atop her head. "Thanks for helping out, John."

He nodded, "It felt good to be a part of this again." He gestured around them.

"I bet," she answered. She considered him for a moment. "It was so nice having you here. Surreal, having the past and the present here at the same time." She leaned back in her chair. "I think my new guys might've picked up a thing or two from you," she teased.

He smiled warmly at her. He walked further into the office and removed a picture of Noah from the credenza behind her desk. "And when do I get to meet this little new guy?" he asked, turning the picture to show her.

"Actually, I'm just about done here. Do you have plans?" He shook his head. "Why don't you come over for dinner? I'll cook something," she offered.

He tilted his head down and looked at her over the rim of his glasses, "The Olivia Benson I used to know considered _cooking_ to be opening a takeout container."

She laughed, "She's still in here somewhere… but little boys cannot survive on Szechuan chicken and lo mein. Or so I'm told." He laughed. "So what do ya say? Dinner?"

"It's a date," he teased.

##

She relieved Lucy at the apartment, who told her that Noah was playing in his bedroom. After Lucy left, she went to retrieve him.

John beamed at her when she came walking out with the toddler on her hip.

"John, this is Noah," she introduced. Looking at Noah, she asked, "Can you say, 'hi Munch', baby?"

Noah repeated a softer version of what she said, and John came closer, grasping Noah's hand. "Hi back, Little Man. I'm your Uncle Munch." Looking at Olivia, "He's beautiful, Liv."

She smiled at John, nearly overcome with emotion. "I know," she whispered.

Noah seemed to like the way "Munch" sounded on his lips, so he kept repeating it. _Munch, munch, Munchy Munch_. Olivia and John laughed, and she shifted to allow him to carry her son. She looked on as John bounced around the living room, talking to Noah.

She never figured that Munch was much of a kid person; but maybe it was just that Noah was hers.

Her phone rang, and glancing at it, she saw Ed's name flash on the screen. "Let me take this," she said; John nodded absently, enthralled by the little boy in his arms. "Hey," she greeted Ed softly.

"Hey babe. How's it going?"

"Good," she said smiling, still watching John. "Munch is here meeting Noah. I'm gonna make us some dinner in a few."

Ed chuckled, "Should I be worried?"

He was teasing her, and she couldn't help the bark of laughter that erupted from her throat at his words. No offense to John, but there was a reason she had gone on all those couple-y undercover ops with Elliot, and it wasn't just because they were partners. Olivia turned away from John and spoke softer into the phone. "No, baby. I think you're safe," she replied, still chuckling. "How was your day?"

"Same shit. Can't wait to get home." He paused. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too. When _are_ you getting home?"

"Day after tomorrow. My flight lands at 8pm," he replied. He heard Noah's muffled laughter in the background. "Listen, I'll let you go. Have fun with John and give Noah a kiss for me."

"I will. I love you," she replied longingly.

"I love you, too. Call me later if you want. I'll be up."

They hung up and she turned around to find John holding a picture that was on her shelf, the one from the zoo. "Is this the fella that's got you all googly eyed?" he teased.

"That's the one," she acquiesced, giving him a shy smile. She meant the sentiment in more ways than one.

John nodded knowingly. "Fin mentioned you were knockin' boots with a certain IAB Lieutenant."

"Actually, he's a Captain now," she boasted, raising her eyebrows with a smile. "He makes me - us - happy."

He leveled her with a serious look. "That's all that matters." Then, tipping his head down again, he observed, "Happy looks good on you, Liv."

"You, too, John." She started moving around the kitchen. "Are you okay in there with him while I get dinner ready?"

"Oh, we're fine. Aren't we Little Man?" he asked Noah, and when the boy nodded, she smiled. "Let me know if you need a hand."

"I'm good. You enjoy each other over there."

She moved about the kitchen, fixing some chicken and a couple sides, making a plate for Noah, too, while she was at it. When they sat down to eat, John asked, "So where is your beau this evening?" His voice was dripping with the mocking grandeur that she was so accustomed to.

She took a sip of her wine. "Actually, he's guest-lecturing at a couple seminars in Virginia. He's been gone since the weekend before last," she said, and John could tell that she missed him. "He'll be back in a couple days, though."

"And he and Noah get along well?"

"Oh, they're two peas in a pod," she laughed, adjusting Noah so he didn't get food all down the front of his shirt. "I was surprised how well they took to each other, actually." She glanced at John out of the side of her eye, "Tucker's not exactly known for his warmth, you know."

He chuckled and nodded. "I have heard a thing or two over the years." John was never one to get in much trouble with IAB, but he'd seen both Olivia and Elliot deal with their fair share while they were all in the unit together.

"He's better than he used to be, though," she shared.

"I'm willing to bet that you are responsible for much of that."

She smiled, shrugging her shoulders in coy agreement. "Maybe." She took another bite, and when she swallowed, she asked, "So, how's life been treating you, Munch?"

He grinned, "Really well. I'm getting ready to open the bar I always wanted," he declared, proudly.

"That's great! Let me know when you do; I want to be there."

"Thanks, Liv. But you will never pay for a drink there."

She ducked her head and smiled. She studied him for a moment, absorbing their surroundings. How many things had changed; how many things were still the same. "We need to get better about staying in touch, John. I feel like it's been forever. I miss you."

"I miss you, too, Liv. But it looks like things are going really well for you." He paused, putting down his fork. "You know, Cragen and I… we let the job take over so much of our lives that by the time we were ready to go after what we really wanted, it was too late," he said softly. "I was so worried that you were going to end up just like us and miss your chance." She couldn't help but agree. She'd been worried about that, too. Her desire to be a mother was so strong; but time and time again the job kept getting in the way. "I can't tell you how happy I am for you that you're finally getting everything you wanted."

She traced her fingers along the bottom of her wine glass. "I wondered for a long time if I would ever get here… Now that I have, it's so much better than I ever imagined it would be." She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, just thinking about her good fortune. Finally - after everything she'd been through - she had things to be genuinely happy about.

Her own experience had lead her to impart the wisdom that Cragen had left her with much earlier than she'd gotten it, trying to save Dodds, Carisi and Rollins from getting swept up in the job and forgetting to live their own lives, discover who they were, and going after what they wanted without letting SVU hold them back. So far, she thought she'd been getting through to them, and she was thankful.

John's hand covered hers on the table.

"You deserve it."

…

Before Munch left, she'd gotten a frantic call from Lucy that she had a family emergency and wasn't going to be able to watch Noah the following day. Olivia was about to go into panic mode, being mid-case with Ed out of town, and she was about to call Heather for a mayday favor, but Munch jumped in.

"Liv, I can watch him," he offered.

She looked at him skeptically. He wasn't on death's doorstep, but he wasn't as spry as he used to be. Would he be able to keep up with a three-year-old for who knows how many hours until they closed the case? "Are you sure, John? He's got an angel face, but he's a handful…" she warned.

John waved her off. "Nah, Uncle John can handle it. It'll be a good opportunity to impart my wisdom."

She rolled her eyes. _Oh, God._ "Just don't teach him about Area 51 yet, okay? Save that for when he's at least 10. It'll give him nightmares," she teased. John held his fingers up in Scouts' Honor. "Thanks, John."

He beamed, "It will be my pleasure!" He tickled Noah, "Right, Little Man? You and I will be just fine."

##

She was pleasantly surprised to find her apartment still standing and her child in one piece when she came home the next night, having solved the case. It wasn't necessarily that she doubted John; he just hadn't had much long-term experience wrangling kids and 12 hours was a lot to ask of anyone.

Olivia held Noah on her hip, smiling at Munch as he made his way to the door. "Say 'bye Munch,'" she encouraged.

"Bye Munch," Noah parroted softly. Her heart swelled and she kissed his cheek: her sweet boy, growing too fast.

With one final half-smile and a nod in their direction, John Munch was gone.

She turned, carrying Noah to his room to start the bedtime process. "Did you have fun with your Uncle Munch, sweetie?" she asked. She felt him nod against the side of her head. "Uncle Munch is a little crazy, huh?" She looked at Noah and he smiled. He likely had no idea what she was saying, but she thought it was funny anyway. "Yes, he is," she answered for him. "But he loves us, baby."

She had Noah pick out a story and she read to him while rocking in the glider that she had in his room. The subtle back-and-forth movement was working well with the soothing timbre of her voice to lull her little boy to sleep. Once he was out, she laid him on his bed and kissed his cheek. As she closed the door over, she whispered, "I love you, sweet boy."

##

She settled onto the couch with a glass of wine, leaning back into the cushions and releasing a tired sigh.

In a few minutes she'd call Ed; she'd been so busy today that they hadn't had a chance to talk, and he'd sent her a few messages that she hadn't been able to respond to. She missed him, but she needed a few minutes to wind down from the day.

When she dialed his number, he answered on the second ring and she could hear the yearning in his voice. "Hey, babe. How was your day?"

"Long," she sighed. "It took Benno forever to agree to the terms of the deal."

"Well, you got 'em."

"We usually do," she replied, proudly. "Hey – did you know Dodds has a little brother?"

"Dipshit?" he asked, and she laughed.

"No, _my_ Dodds. Mike."

"Huh. No, I didn't. How did that come up?"

"He told Benno a story about his brother calling to bail him out of trouble to get Benno to confess," she told him. "Apparently his brother has done a few stints in rehab."

"Wow," Ed replied.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I had no idea."

"Some people take a little time to open up," he assured her. Then, teasing, "Kinda sounds like someone else I know."

The last comment he made was pointed, and she turned the tables on him with a smile in her voice. "This sounds a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, Ed," she quipped.

It was true – neither of them were what you would call open books. "Yeah, yeah," he laughed. He heard her sigh, and asked if she was okay.

She smiled. "Yeah, I'm good. Just tired." She opted for a subject change. "Munch watched Noah for me today." she said, chuckling.

"Oh, yeah? How did that go?" Ed sounded apprehensive. While he hadn't been exposed to much of the former Sergeant's personality – he was one of few members of SVU he hadn't had regular dealings with back in the day – he heard enough in passing...

"Good. He taught him to always question authority."

"Oh, wonderful," Ed said dryly.

She laughed at the memory. "It was actually really cute. He made Noah ask me 'why.'"

Ed chuckled. It was so good to hear her laugh. But it made him miss her that much more. Her laughter quieted and somehow she could feel even through the phone that the conversation had shifted. "I miss you so much," he said, sounding pained.

"I miss you, too." They'd gone a couple days without seeing each other before because of cases, either on his end or hers, but this was the longest stretch they'd gone. No touching. No kissing. It was torture.

She had lived that life – the single life - for way too long. And now that she had a taste of what it was like to come home to someone, to wake up in a man's arms that loved her, to be responsible for a child's safety, wellbeing… she couldn't go back.

The Old Olivia would have been terrified at this revelation; fearful that she was starting to need someone else a little too much – after all, in her experience, the people who she depended on always ended up leaving… But the New Olivia, she was embracing this, allowing herself the freedom to finally feel happy without waiting for the other shoe to drop. The more they settled into their relationship the surer she became: Tucker was it for her.

It was like Munch said: they had both finally figured out that there was more to life than SVU. Ed and Noah – they were her life now. They made it easier for her to go out and do her job day-in and day-out. After over 20 years on the force, she was exhausted. They kept her going.

…

His voice cut into her thoughts. "What are you wearing?" He still sounded pained, but now it was for another reason altogether.

She burst out laughing. "Oh, no. We are not doing this."

"C'mon, Liv. I need you," he pleaded.

She smiled, playing with the hem of her shirt with her fingers. "I need you, too, which is why I'm not doing this. Nothing could compare to your hands. To your mouth. To your…"

"I am begging you not to finish that sentence," he said in a harsh whisper.

She laughed. "See? Phone sex would just make it worse, baby. I want _you_ , not just your voice telling me what to do." There was silence on the other end of the phone and she could tell that he, like her, was getting worked up just from the thought of phone sex. But she remained adamant. "When are you getting home?" she asked desperately, despite the fact that she already knew.

"Tomorrow night. God, Liv…it can't come soon enough," he replied.

She threw her head back against the couch cushions and closed her eyes, trying to tamp down the need, the desire, the yearning. "I know."

##

Noah had thankfully gone to bed easily, and she paced the living room, waiting for him to arrive. His plane had landed an hour ago and though she had offered to go get him, he didn't want to disturb Noah's routine so he took a cab.

Finally, she heard his key in the door and he walked in, unceremoniously dropping his bags on the floor and stepping over them to get to her. They moved toward each other simultaneously, and she whispered his name as their bodies connected, arms wrapping around each other in a tight hug.

He tucked his face into her neck and breathed her in. The whole plane ride, he imagined walking in the door and kissing her into oblivion before pushing her against the door and showing her just how much he missed her. But, seeing her, his gut reaction was just to hold her, remember how she felt in his arms, the way her body fit to his. "God, I missed you," he breathed.

They rocked side-to-side, still entangled in the warm embrace, and she squeezed him tighter when she heard his words. "Me, too," she replied weakly into his shoulder.

They pulled apart slowly, and Olivia moved her arms around his neck, looking deeply into his eyes, which were clouded with love, desire.

"Noah?" he asked.

"Asleep," she replied with a small smile. "You can look in on him if you want to. He's missed you."

"Maybe later. Right now, I just want to be with you." He kissed her softly and she brought her hands to rest on his hips, gripping the material of his shirt.

He brought his hands up to his tie, loosening the knot before pulling the silk material from his collar. "You wore a tie on the plane?"

"Went to the airport straight from a seminar, didn't feel like changing," he shrugged and kissed her again, gripping her hips with his now free hands. He started walking them toward the bedroom.

She smirked at him, "Don't you want to get your bags?"

"No. I just want you," he kissed her more thoroughly this time, prying her mouth open with his tongue and tasting her for the first time in too, too long. She moaned as her hands flew up to clutch his head, her fingernails scratching lightly against his scalp through his hair. It was one of his favorite moves of hers, and he moaned.

Once they were safely in the bedroom, he released her lips, latching onto her neck and biting at the skin there while she busied herself with unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off of him.

For all their talk, she thought for sure they would've jumped each other and gone at it in the living room when he got home, but this was good, too; maybe even better. Brooding and intense were default settings for Ed, and she'd learned from their relationship that he exercised those even more skillfully in the bedroom than he did anywhere else.

Once they were both down to their underwear, he guided her toward the bed, urging her to lay down before he crawled over her. She opened her thighs, creating a space for him to nestle, and they both moaned when his arousal pressed against her center. He fought the urge to rock his hips. He wanted to savor this.

He was braced above her on his hands, and she was running her hands all over his torso, lightly scratching his skin here and there to illicit reactions out of him. Her eyes met his and she smiled. "Hi," she said.

"Hi," he whispered.

She pulled one hand behind his neck and urged his face down to hers. Against his lips, she murmured, "I love you."

His response was a groan as she captured his lips in a fiery kiss, probing his mouth with her tongue and prompting him to involuntarily rock his pelvis into hers.

One of his hands slid under her back and she arched into him, giving him space to undo her bra clasp. He pulled at the straps and once the material was out of the way, he pulled his lips from hers and his eyes settled on her breasts. "Beautiful."

He bent his head, doting on each of her nipples with his lips, teeth and tongue until she was writhing beneath him, breathing heavily, her hips steadily rocking into his.

He pulled away and knelt on his knees, closing her legs, and one of his hands traveled to the waistband on her panties. She lifted her hips to aid him pulling them down. She fluttered her feet when they reached her ankles, and they flew off to parts unknown.

He caressed the skin of her knees, gently prying her legs apart again and taking in the sight of her glistening core, wet with arousal for him. He slid one finger through her folds, and her breath immediately caught in her throat, her head thrown back in pleasure. He did it again, and her hips bucked. She looked at him through hooded eyes. She gritted her teeth, "If you don't stop teasing me and just do it already, I swear to God…"

He chuckled, removing his briefs before climbing back over her, brushing hair off her forehead that was already slightly glistening with sweat. "You swear to God, what? What are you gonna do, Liv?"

She glared at him, "You're enjoying this way too much."

"There's no such thing," he assured her and he kissed her fiercely, his mouth crashing to hers, his tongue finding hers and massaging it, trying to memorize her taste.

He thrust into her with no warning, knowing she was ready for him. She'd _been_ ready for him.

It was a struggle staying quiet when the need had built up inside of both of them so much in his absence. He kept his lips attached to hers as much as he could to muffle her moans and cries as he thrust in and out of her. They tried to go slow, but they couldn't keep up that pace for long before her hands were grabbing at his backside and she was breathing into his ear to go faster, harder.

When her orgasm hit, she bit into his shoulder to keep from screaming his name, and he released a guttural groan as he came inside her.

He tried to move off of her and fall to her side, but her limbs locked around him at the first sign of his movement and she kissed him, whispering _stay_ when she released his lips.

As their breathing and heartbeats returned to normal, she traced her fingers along his spine and he dotted her neck and chest with little kisses. She bent her head planting a kiss on his shoulder where her teeth had left their mark and whispered, "Welcome home."

…

They fell asleep for a while like that, and she woke up to him planting soft kisses up one side of her body and down the other, slowly lavishing attention on every part of her that he'd missed while he'd been gone. When he was done, though she was thoroughly aroused by that point, she flipped him over and did the same, planting a soft kiss on the tip of his manhood before lowering herself onto him.

This time was the slow, sensual lovemaking experience that they had intended the first round to be. Relearning each other's bodies after an absence that neither wanted to endure again. He let her control the pace, which she kept slow, for a little while before he flipped them and took over where she left off.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. She said nothing in response, just smiled and brought her lips to his.

She could feel his abs working against her stomach with every thrust, and their eyes were locked on each other, making this moment weigh almost more emotionally than it did physically. She came silently, her face frozen in tortured pleasure, and he followed right behind her.

He lifted himself off of her and got off the bed, handing her the pajamas he'd taken off of her earlier. Ed dug a pair of boxers and a t-shirt out of his drawer before climbing back into bed, facing her. She immediately rolled toward him, laying her head on his pillow and tangling their legs.

He reached for her hand. "I had such a hard time sleeping without you."

She smiled, "It wasn't any picnic here, either." She kissed him. "I got used to having a warm body in this bed with me."

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too."

"Did you tell Munch about us?" he asked curiously.

She laughed, "Well, your picture is all over the place, so he figured it out – but we did talk about you, yes."

"And?"

She shrugged. "Munch was never a fan of IAB, but he was never obvious about it like the others were, and it was never personal toward you. He's happy for me." She looked at their entwined hands. "He said he was glad that we both figured out that there was life outside of SVU."

"I'm glad you did, too," he leaned in and kissed her, his tongue finding hers inside their fused mouths.

"I'm glad you're home."

##

A couple hours later Olivia felt a small hand on her shoulder and turned to see Noah standing at her side of the bed, his eyes watery.

"Noah?" She asked sleepily, turning over completely and caressing his face. " What's wrong, my love?"

"I had bad dream," he whimpered.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweet boy. It's over now." She swung her legs out of the bed and picked him up as she stood up. Looking at Ed and seeing that he was still out cold, she whispered, "Let's go out here so we don't wake Ed."

She sat on the couch, turned on the TV to an old rerun of the Golden Girls, about the only good thing on TV as such a late hour and also one of her favorites. She lowered the volume so it wouldn't wake Ed and would hopefully lull her son back to sleep. He curled into her, tucking his head in her chest, his body jerking every now and again from the hiccups that resulted from the tears.

"Can you tell me what happened in the dream?" She ran her hand up and down his back to soothe him, and he paused for a minute, breathing through another hiccup, before shaking his head 'no'.

"Okay. Just relax, baby. Mommy's got you."

A short while later, she felt his breathing even out and knew he was asleep, but she stayed put. These moments were getting fewer and farther between and it wouldn't be long before she was starving for his affections. The weight of his little warm body against hers in sleep was heavenly and it filled her heart with so much joy.

This was her baby boy. And already, he wasn't a baby anymore. He was walking and talking and was developing his own little personality, which she fell more and more in love with everyday.

He had come along at the exact perfect time in her life, when she needed something to hang onto, desperately. And now that he was here, she couldn't believe she had ever survived without him.

She thought back to her and Ed's conversation a few days ago, about expanding their little family to include one more just like Noah. Maybe they would adopt a girl this time; she wasn't sure, and they were still a ways away from being ready to start looking into that. But she was happy it was on the table, and even more so that Ed had been the one to put it there.

##

Ed woke up a couple hours later, and upon reaching for Olivia to pull her closer, discovered that her side of the bed was empty, cold. For a brief moment, he panicked, thinking he was still in that Godforsaken hotel and that all of the night's earlier events were just a dream. He rubbed his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the light, and was relieved to find that he was at home in their bed, surrounded by their things. It hadn't been a dream; but where was Olivia? He lifted himself up, thinking maybe she got called to a case and left a note, but couldn't see one on either nightstand.

He pulled himself out of bed and padded out of the room, seeing the glow from the TV dancing on the floor in the hallway. He found them, still lying on the couch, and his heart clenched.

Olivia and Noah were both fast asleep, Olivia on her side facing the TV, and Noah curled into a little ball, tucked into her, his face against her chest. She had an arm wrapped tightly around him, lest he roll over and fall off the couch.

He knelt down, brushing a stray hair out of her face. The tickle woke her, and she looked at him bleary-eyed, taking a second to adjust and figure out where she was. She took a deep breath in through her nose, trying to wake up.

"Hey," he whispered, stroking her hair.

She smiled. "Hey." She looked down at Noah, "He had a nightmare. I didn't want to wake you up." She gazed at Ed, lovingly. "Falling asleep out here wasn't part of the plan," she joked.

"Well, if you were watching the Golden Girls, I can't say I blame you," he deadpanned, jerking his head toward the TV where the show was still on. She narrowed her eyes and looked ready to retort, but he kissed her lips instead. "Lift your arm. I'll bring him back to bed."

She did as he asked, and watched as he carefully, gingerly lifted the toddler from the couch. Noah immediately adjusted to the change, nestling his face into the warmth of Ed's neck. Olivia got up right behind them placing her hand on Ed's lower back, and the three of them went to Noah's room. They got him situated and took turns giving him soft kisses.

As Olivia looked on, Ed whispered, "Love you, kiddo." She smiled, loving every second of these moments that she got to witness.

As Ed turned to walk away and meet her at the door, Noah turned over in his sleep so he was facing away from them, licking his lips before muttering softly.

It was muffled, but they both heard his reply, and it made them stop in their tracks.

"Love you, daddy."

##

 **A/N: Muahahaha. :D How much do you hate me for stopping it there? Tell me!**


	8. Chapter 8

**As if you needed a reminder, we left off with Noah saying "** _ **Love you, daddy."**_

As soon as the words registered, both Ed and Olivia stopped. Time stopped. Their breathing even stopped, momentarily. It was almost as if they were waiting for Noah to repeat it, just to confirm that what they heard was actually what he said.

Olivia turned to hazard a glance at Ed, the beginnings of a smile on her face as she watched him process what just happened. He looked from Noah to her, eyes wide. "Did you—?"

She didn't let him finish before she nodded, "I heard it."

Ed whipped his head back to Noah, then to Olivia again. "Did you—?"

She interrupted him again, shaking her head this time. "I didn't say anything to him."

Again, Ed's focus went from her to Noah, and she couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips. "Ed, you're going to give yourself whiplash." She grabbed his hand, whispering, "Come on, let's talk about it out there so we don't wake him up."

Truthfully, Ed wouldn't have minded waking Noah up if it meant he would call him Daddy again.

Reaching the kitchen, Olivia took a clean glass from the dish tray in the sink and filled it with water, handing it to Ed. He took a sip, and slowly, his eyes made their way to hers. He looked like Ralphie when he found out he got his Red Ryder for Christmas. His face was lit up in a way that she'd never seen it, but he was quiet, almost catatonic. Overwhelmed.

"You okay?" She asked him.

It was a lot to process, and it was so unexpected. She hadn't even been coaching Noah, hadn't yet explained to him that Ed was to him what Ben was to Jackson - in all the ways that mattered, anyway.

She imagined that was probably where the seed had been planted – between that, and daycare, seeing little boys and girls referring to the men in their lives as Daddy.

Ed nodded, searching for the words, but coming up empty. She knew the feeling. She'd been similarly awestruck when Noah had called her Mommy for the first time.

"It's incredible, huh?" She grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing his chin.

"That," he shook his head, "doesn't even do it justice." He placed the water on the counter and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight to him. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Ed, I didn't tell him to call you Daddy," she explained. "I was going to start trying to explain things to him, but I hadn't gotten a chance to yet."

"That's not what I'm thanking you for," he said, into her neck. "No one's ever called me Daddy before, Liv. No one has ever had a reason to." They pulled away from each other slightly, but kept their arms wrapped around one another. "Thank you…for just… _this_ ," he shrugged.

He couldn't put it into words. He felt she deserved a thank you: for not throwing the bourbon in his face that first night; for opening herself up to him; for letting him in; for letting him love her son… He was grateful, and in awe, at all of it.

She looked at him warmly, as moved by his reaction to her son's words as she was by the words themselves. It was astonishing, really. Ed had been gone for almost two weeks – a long time to a 3-year-old, but Noah still made that connection when he heard Ed's voice. She caressed Ed's cheek gently, bringing his attention back to her. "I told you, he loves you."

He planted a lingering kiss on her forehead, and they swayed slowly in the kitchen. "So, what happens now?"

"I don't really know, to be honest with you," she sighed happily. "I'm flying as blind as you are here," she added, laughing. "I guess… we see what happens in the morning. See if he says it again." He nodded. "If you're okay being Daddy, I think we could start referring to you as Daddy, like we refer to me as Mommy, so it sticks."

Ed was elated, but he regarded her with caution, still unsure of boundaries despite how far they'd come recently. "And you're okay with that…right?"

She tilted her head in disbelief and smiled at his naiveté. "More than," she assured him, kissing him softly. "I am if you are. This is where we were headed; he just got there by himself."

Ed nodded, running his fingers through her hair. She laid her head on his chest for a few moments, before mumbling his name. He hummed in response and the sound reverberated against her ear.

"It's three in the morning. I know you're excited and believe me I am, too. But… can we go back to bed now?" She looked up at him, smiling, and he could see how exhausted she was. He smirked, nodded and guided her back to their bedroom.

She fell asleep again almost as soon as she laid down, her head on his chest. But Ed was still too wired. Inside, he was doing cartwheels and somersaults.

He stroked her hair absently with one hand, his other tucked behind his head.

One word kept scrolling across his mind.

Daddy.

##

Olivia woke up before Ed that morning, kissing his cheek and chuckling to herself when she saw the ghost of a smile playing across his lips – even in sleep.

She closed the door softly and walked to Noah's room to check on him, finding him awake and playing with some toys.

"Good morning, my love!" She sat down next to him pulled him into her lap, kissing his head.

"Morny, Mommy." He allowed himself to be cuddled by her for a moment.

"Did you sleep okay after your nightmare last night, baby?"

He nodded and squirmed wriggling out of her grasp and making his way back to the toys. She smiled at him fondly.

"Are you hungry?" she asked Noah.

He looked at her and grinned, "Breffust!"

"Let's go, sweet boy." She took his hand, his other carefully grasping a toy, and led him to the living room. She turned on cartoons and made her way back to the kitchen, cutting up some fruit and pouring some juice into a sippy cup for him.

After she served him, she busied herself making a pot of coffee, knowing Ed would want some when he woke up. Opening the front door, she grabbed the paper and brought it back to the kitchen. She leaned up against the counter and started reading, waiting for when Ed would make his appearance.

She was eager to see what would unfold once Ed and Noah were both awake and in the same room.

Was the _'love you daddy'_ a Freudian slip, or was Noah actually aware – as much as a 3-year-old can be – of Ed's place in his life?

##

Ed finally emerged an hour later.

"Thank God," Olivia said impatiently, upon seeing him. "I was this close," she held her thumb and index fingers millimeters apart, "to holding a mirror over your mouth to make sure you were still breathing."

He chuckled and walked up to her wrapping his arms around her in a hug. "It's only 7:30!" he replied, incredulously.

She shrugged, "I'm anxious." Looking at him, she noticed that he hadn't stopped smiling. "You look like you slept with a hanger in your mouth." Ed never smiled big, so it was a small hanger, but a hanger nonetheless.

He glared at her in mock annoyance. "Yeah, well, I'm anxious, too, ya know…"

"I know you are," she winked at him, infusing a little seduction into her voice to tease him, " _Daddy_."

He tilted his head playfully. "You know…it sounds different when you say it."

She laughed. "Well, I should hope so."

"Come here," he tilted her chin up toward his mouth and gave her a good morning kiss, delving his tongue into her mouth briefly to taste her. "Mm, coffee," he said, licking his lips when he pulled away.

She smiled and wiped his face, gesturing toward the coffeemaker. "It's ready for you."

He moved away from her and poured himself a cup, turning to watch Noah play with his toys in the living room for a moment, oblivious to Olivia watching him.

The two weeks they had been apart felt like a lot longer than that, and it was nice settling back into old routines, waking up in his arms again. She missed him.

"Ed," she said softly. He turned his attention to her. "I'm really glad you're back."

He reached for her hand, interlacing their fingers and lifting her hand to kiss it. "Me, too."

He went back to watching Noah again, still clutching her hand in his, and she squeezed her fingers to get his attention. When his eyes met hers, she jerked her head back to Noah, and whispered with a smile. "Go over there."

##

He was nervous.

Ed knew the likelihood of Noah saying it again, un-coached and alert, was probably pretty slim. But he didn't want to be disappointed, and didn't want to show his disappointment if that ended up being the reality.

Cautiously, he approached the living room.

"G'morning, bud," he said, kneeling down and ruffling Noah's hair.

The boy looked up at him, smiling. "Morny," he replied.

No 'Ed'. No 'Daddy'. Just… _morny._

Ed looked back at Olivia. _Well that was anti-climactic._

She smiled at him sympathetically and then waved her hands, urging him to continue.

"Didja miss me, Little Man?" Noah nodded.

 _C'mon kid, throw me – no, throw Daddy - a bone here._

Olivia saw that Ed was struggling and decided to help. "Noah, honey, why don't you give _Daddy_ a hug and show him how much we missed him?" Ed thanked her with his eyes, and she winked.

They both watched as Noah looked from her to Ed. Ed wasn't sure if it was just wishful thinking, but he thought he saw something start to click. Noah didn't address him, but he did as his mom asked, wrapping his little arms around Ed's neck.

Olivia was hopeful. If they kept doing that, kept referring to Ed as Daddy instead of by his name or a cute nickname like they'd done in the past, Noah would consciously make the association – just as he had unconsciously last night.

Ed kissed Noah's head and walked back to Olivia. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "He'll get there," she assured him, kissing him again. "We'll get him there."

He wasn't worried. Running his fingers through her hair, he whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she paused and giggled, wiggling her eyebrows, "Daddy."

##

Olivia had taken the day off to turn the weekend into a 3-dayer and be able to spend time reconnecting with both Ed and Noah after the craziness of the last couple of weeks.

It was a gorgeous day, Mother Nature deciding to obey the rules of spring for a change, and Ed and Olivia decided it might be fun to pack a picnic and some games and lay out on a blanket at the park for a while.

Getting in a little family time and getting in some Vitamin D as well sounded like a great plan.

Every chance she got – without getting annoying – Olivia referred to Ed as Daddy when speaking with Noah. Ed got in on the action, too, asking Noah to pass Daddy this or that, give Daddy that ball, do you want to play with Daddy…

It was adorable, how desperately Ed wanted to hear it again. She hoped that Noah would come through.

Her phone buzzed and she saw it was Heather calling; it had been awhile since they'd all gotten together. "Hey," she answered eagerly.

"Hi Stranger, how's it going? Did I call at a good time?" Heather asked.

"Of course! Actually, Ed, Noah and I are at the park right now. I took the day off," she said.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Heather teased. "Well, hey, I have Jackson with me – do you guys care if we join you?"

"No, of course not!"

Olivia gave Heather instructions to find to them and a half an hour later, she spotted her friend, toddler in tow. Olivia was leaned back on the blanket they'd brought, held up by her elbows, but she reached an arm around to give Heather a peck on the cheek when they arrived.

"Hey, Jackson," she said to the boy, smiling at him and tapping his nose with her finger. He responded shyly. "Noah and Ed are just over there," she pointed, "why don't you go play with them?" Jackson started heading in that direction and Olivia called Ed's name to alert him of the incoming child.

Heather settled next to her and copied her position. "When did Lover-man get back?"

"Last night," Olivia answered, smiling at the memories – all of them, and shaking her head at the nickname that Heather insisted on using. She turned to look at the younger woman. "So, what have you guys been up to?"

"Oh, you know, same old…"

Over the next hour, the girls chit-chatted and caught up on most everything they'd missed since the last time they'd gotten together, but Olivia didn't mention the developments of last night to her friend just yet, wanting to wait until there was more to tell.

"Oh!" Heather squealed, her sudden outburst causing Olivia to jump, "The whole reason I called you to begin with, I forgot…"

"Jesus…" Olivia complained, clutching at her chest and trying to get her heart rate down.

"Sorry," Heather apologized, her voice sing-songy and insincere. "Anyway – Ben's parents have a cottage in Martha's Vineyard – we were going to head up there in a couple of weeks, just for a few days. Do you guys want to come with?"

"Oh, wow—" Olivia started, but before she could finish her thought, they heard a shriek coming from the direction of where Ed and the boys were playing.

She froze, her eyes scanning the landscape before her trying to get a read on what was going on. She spotted Noah doubled over on the ground and was about to get up and run to him, but she heard him wail, "Daa-aa-ddy!"

Her eyes went to Ed, who faltered for a split second at Noah's outcry before he covered the short distance between where he was standing and Noah's current position on the ground.

She watched him crouch down, wipe the tears from her son's face and inspect his knee carefully. Ed muttered something softly to Noah, and then pointed toward where she and Heather were sitting, watching everything unfold.

Ed took Jackson's hand and guided Noah back to the blanket with a hand wrapped softly around the back of his neck. When they got closer, Olivia reached out her arms and Noah closed the remaining distance at a run.

 _That's good; at least he's not hurt too bad._

"What happened, baby?" she asked him.

Noah's face was red from crying and he sniffled at her, but didn't respond, just held out his leg.

Ed cut in, "He fell and landed on a rock." Olivia looked up at him. Despite the slight stress of the situation, his blue eyes were bright and she knew exactly why. She fought a smile.

She directed her attention back to Noah and wiped a few stray tears from his face. "Look at you, being so strong." She gingerly inspected the cut on his knee with one hand while rummaging through her bag for her first-aid kit. Being a cop and a mom equaled always being prepared for situations like this. "Mommy will fix you up." She put a dot of Neosporin on the cut, covered it with a Band-Aid, and then smiled up at her son. "All set."

"Kiss better," Noah urged. She chuckled, lowering her lips over the bandage on his knee, before reaching up to kiss his little hand, too.

"Is that good, sweet boy?"

He nodded, and then her heart melted when he held his leg out in Ed's direction, silently giving him the same command. Ed tried to hide a small smile as he knelt down and complied, brushing his lips softly across Noah's knee.

"There ya go, bud," he said, affected.

Olivia could feel Heather's eyes on her, the woman having silently watched this entire situation unfold without comment – a rarity for her. But Olivia didn't acknowledge her yet. Rather, she said, "I think this is a good time for some lunch. Is everyone hungry?"

The boys cheered and Ed laughed, unpacking the sandwiches and juice boxes they'd brought with them when they left in the morning. Heather took out the snacks that she brought, too, her eyes constantly darting back to Olivia, silently willing her to turn her head.

Finally, Olivia gave in, and Heather mouthed _daddy?_ Olivia pursed her lips and ducked her head. Then she met Heather's eyes, mouthed _later_ at her, and winked.

##

They had a fun lunch, and by the time it was done, it was like the events leading up to it never happened. Noah was back to smiling and laughing without a care.

He and Jackson both had to use the bathroom, so Ed got up to take them and no sooner was he out of earshot than Heather pounced on her for information.

"Oh my _God,_ " Heather exclaimed, smacking Olivia's arm with the back of her hand. " _Daddy?_ When the eff did that happen?" She looked at Olivia incredulously.

Olivia laughed. "Last night. Well, very early this morning, actually. Noah was half-asleep when he said it, but we've been trying to get him to say it again all day," she explained. "This was only the second time." She started organizing their trash, glancing back at Heather. "Ed was so happy. It was adorable."

"And now he's like, Super Dad," Heather quipped. "You hit the jackpot, girl. You are aware of that, yes?"

Olivia stopped what she was doing and turned back to Heather with a small smile on her face. "It's crazy, right?"

"Not at all," Heather replied, seriously. "You deserve it, Liv."

Heather was the second person to say this to her in the span of a week, after Munch.

"So, wait," Olivia started, switching gears. "You were saying something about Martha's Vineyard before all that happened," she said, gesturing toward where Noah got hurt.

Heather's eyes widened in recognition, " _Oh_ , right! So, Ben's parents have a cottage in Martha's Vineyard and we're planning a trip up there in a couple weeks. Probably a Thursday-to-Monday deal, but we can work that out as it gets closer," she said dismissively. "You guys are more than welcome to come. There's plenty of room."

Olivia nodded, considering the offer. "That sounds really nice… I'll talk to Ed later and I'll let you know."

##

The boys returned and went back to their game after their mom's reapplied sunscreen, and Heather and Olivia moved the blanket so they were more in the sun. Being spring, it wasn't at its full strength so it was more bearable to lie in without shade than it would be in a couple of months. Nevertheless, they both spread sunscreen on their faces and the exposed skin on their arms and legs.

Olivia resumed her prior position of propping herself up on her elbows, and she watched Ed with the boys, her lips curling into a small smile. She and Heather would alternate between bouts of conversation before settling into silence while Heather took little catnaps.

"You look deep in thought," Heather observed.

"I'm a cop. I'm always deep in thought," Olivia deadpanned with a smile. Heather rolled her eyes and Olivia continued. "Did I ever tell you about a Sergeant I used to work with? John Munch?"

"Munch?" Heather asked, snickering. "No, I think I'd remember a name like that."

Olivia smiled. "He helped me out with Noah this week when Lucy had an emergency and Ed was out of town. We met when I first started at SVU." She glanced at Heather, scoffing good-naturedly. "You were probably still in high school then." Olivia watched the boys for a beat. "He said some things that resonated with me. I just keep going over it in my head."

" _Things."_ Heather repeated. "Like what?"

"That he was glad we both figured out that there is more to life outside of SVU."

"Ahh." Heather nodded. "So this is good ruminating you're doing over there." She swirled her finger in circles in Olivia's direction.

Olivia smiled. "Definitely good. Just counting my blessings."

Heather knocked her juice box against Olivia's in a grade-school version of 'cheers'. "Amen to that, sister."

##

Later that night, Ed was in bed watching TV while Olivia was getting ready for bed in the bathroom.

Ed was going over the events of the last twenty-four hours. Noah had called him daddy a few more times over the course of the day, after the scuffed knee incident, and every time he did, Ed felt a warmth wash over him. He didn't anticipate how gratifying it would be to hear.

But he'd seen a little glimmer of something in Olivia's eyes earlier. It made him realize that as over the moon as he was and she appeared to be, this was a shift for her, and he wanted to make sure he wasn't encroaching if this wasn't something she was really ready for. They had talked about it briefly last night, but he felt that maybe, the more she heard it, the more it might have been bothering her.

"You're sure you're okay with this," he called. It was meant more as a question than a statement. He was apprehensive.

He heard her sigh. She didn't need to ask for clarification on what he was talking about. Her voice carried through to the bedroom, "Can I be honest?"

He nodded, though she couldn't see him. "I would prefer it." And then he braced himself.

He heard her tidying up the vanity and then she emerged, putting her hair up in a ponytail as she made her way toward her side of the bed.

She thought about earlier at the park, when Noah called out for Ed – for Daddy – and not her. "Does it sting that I'm not the only one he needs anymore? A little, yes," she shrugged, conceding. "But that's something I'm going to have to get used to as he gets older." Before he could interrupt, she continued. "Ed, I have wanted to be a mother for as long as I can remember. But I didn't have a set idea in my mind of how or when that was going to happen, or what my life was going to look like when it did." He nodded. "I've done things on my own my whole life – I'm used to it. I think Noah and I were managing okay before you came into the picture," she said.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to take that, and his confusion must have been evident on his face because she smiled, caressed his cheek, and added, "But you make us better." He breathed out a sigh of relief. "I like having someone to share all of this with – parenting, life… It took me a long time, but I've finally accepted that I don't have to do everything alone anymore. In fact, I don't want to." He smiled at her, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. She winked, "This is a pretty good thing we've got going here, don't you think?"

He nodded, joking, "If this is your idea of a proposal, I think it needs a little work."

Not missing a beat, she retorted, "No, that's your job." Then, seeing his face, she added hastily, "Not that I'm ready for that!" She closed her eyes, placing her hand on his chest. "Let's just… tackle one monumental shift at a time in this relationship, huh?"

He laughed. "Come here." He pulled her so that she was half lying on top of him and she closed the remaining distance between their lips, coaxing his open with her tongue and tangling with his for a moment before she pulled away.

"Plus, if we're going to pursue adopting a child together… You didn't really expect me to make them both call you _Ed_ , did you?"

He looked at her, the smirk that she loved playing on his lips as he declared, "I love you."

She kissed him again, "I love you, too."

She shifted so that she was straddling him and captured his lips in a slow, deep kiss. When she started rocking her hips over him, he groaned.

They had a pretty healthy sex life, and the two weeks that they were apart was rough on them. They had missed being together this way.

They quickly but tenderly divested each other of their clothing, breaking their kiss as little as possible, before she sank down onto his manhood, bracing her hands on his chest as she began to move.

He let her have the control to start, before he flipped them, and it was the perfect metaphor for their relationship.

Give-and-take.

It didn't take long for their movements to become frantic, and she bit his shoulder as the pleasure flooded her, trying to muffle her screams so she didn't wake her son.

Afterward, he turned them so they were on their sides, facing each other.

He softly brushed her sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes and they stared at each other. "You're beautiful," he whispered.

She smiled, winked. "So are you." She tore her eyes from his, intertwining their fingers and kissing the back of his hand. "I meant to tell you… Heather told me Ben's family has a cottage on Martha's Vineyard."

"Oh? Must be nice," he quipped.

"I know," she smirked. "Heather said they're going up there for a long weekend in a couple of weeks. She asked if we wanted to go." She looked at him thoughtfully.

"Martha's Vineyard, huh?" He looked away and considered it a moment. "Could be good to get away." His eyes darted back to hers and she could swear there was a glint of mischief in them.

"Could be really, really good." She leaned over and kissed him, parting her lips and welcoming his attempt to deepen it. They kissed languidly, one of them going back in for more whenever the other tried to pull away. When she finally wrenched her lips from his, she was out of breath. "So that's a yes, then?"

"That's a yes," he agreed, rolling her over and getting to work on round two before she could say another word.

 **##**

 **A/N: Depending on the Tuckson events of Assaulting Reality, we may have one more chapter before they get to Martha's Vineyard – and I might split that up into two.**

 **So, thoughts?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Behold, Part 1 of #TucksoNoahTravels: Martha's Vineyard**

"Three bags," Olivia counted. She glanced at Ed, smirking because she already knew the answer to the question she was about to ask. "Is that too many for a weekend?"

"For a three-year-old?" He threw his arm around her shoulders and chuckled. "Probably." He kissed her temple, and then disengaged from her to open one of the bags that didn't contain Noah's clothes. "What in here can he absolutely not live without for the weekend?"

They were heading to Martha's Vineyard in the morning, and though Olivia was unsure of what she needed to bring for Noah, if anything, apart from his clothes and things for the car, she refused to text her friend again. She'd already asked her half a dozen questions and didn't want to be an annoyance, nor did she want to give Heather any more ammunition to tease her with.

Olivia sighed and began rifling through the bag. Out came a couple of books, a train set, his batman figurines that he hadn't touched in weeks, and a few other items. Ed raised his eyebrows and said nothing as Olivia took what remained in the bag and condensed it into one of the others.

"Good?" Olivia asked, hopefully. Packing for her and Ed had been easy. Pajamas, a few outfits to choose from, something a little fancier in case they were able to go on an adults-only dinner date, toiletries. But this was the first time she was taking Noah on an overnight, out-of-town trip, and she was clueless.

He laughed, zipping up the second bag and wrapping his arms around her again. "As good as it's going to get."

##

Morning came too soon, especially the ass-crack of dawn, as Ed referred to it, which is when they had to be awake in order to be ready when Heather and Ben arrived in the SUV they'd rented for the drive up.

When Ben walked into the apartment to help them with their bags after being buzzed into the building, he did a double take at how many there were. Five bags, for two and a half people, for what would amount to seventy-two hour trip.

"Heather and I are only staying the weekend, so if you guys are hanging out longer, you'll need to figure out your own transportation back," Ben joked, lifting the shoulder bag across his body and grabbing two more bags in his hands. Ed took care of one of the bags and the car seat, while Olivia handled the last bag and Noah himself.

After getting Noah settled into his car seat in the middle row next to Jackson, Olivia crawled back into the third row with Heather, who greeted her wordlessly by handing her a Venti sized Starbucks coffee cup.

"Bless you," she breathed, sipping at the beverage.

Ben looked in the rearview mirror. "Everyone buckled in?" He got affirmative nods. "We're off…" After about five minutes, before they'd even left their neighborhood, Ben called out nonchalantly, "Who wants to play the license plate game?"

There was no hesitation in Heather's terse reply. "Bite me, Ben."

Olivia had to bite her lip to stop from laughing. Someone was not a morning person.

##

Up front, Ben and Ed alternated between amiable conversation and comfortable silence throughout the four-hour drive to Woods Hole, MA, where they would board the ferry to the Vineyard. Occasionally, Olivia would catch Ben do a quick scan of the back of the car in the rearview mirror.

She was surprised at how well Noah and Jackson were traveling. She knew already that she brought way too many things for Noah, but he'd never been in a car this long before, so she wasn't sure if he'd be bored. Turned out, leaving at the ass crack of dawn had been beneficial because Noah slept most of the way, only waking up with about an hour left to the drive.

Heather slept the whole way, much to Olivia's equal surprise and relief. It was oddly unsettling to see someone she'd only ever witnessed at 150% be so _relaxed_ , but she was thankful. She knew as soon as they arrived, everyone would be running on excitement and adrenaline and the quiet would be gone.

Olivia's phone buzzed, and she smiled when she saw that it was a text from Ed.

 _You're awfully quiet back there._

She looked toward the front of the car and saw that he'd lowered his sun visor and was looking at her through the mirror. She typed a response.

 _Enjoy it while it lasts. Won't be this way much longer ;)_

She saw rather than heard his snort of laughter, and when he caught her eye through the mirror again, she mouthed 'I love you'.

A millisecond later came his reply.

 _I love you, too._

##

"Mommy, we in car! On the boat!" Noah exclaimed, the backs of his legs beating against the seat as he flailed in excitement.

"I know, baby." She leaned forward in her seat and reached around to squeeze his leg. "In a minute we'll get out and you can see the ocean."

"Ocean!" Noah yelled.

They clamored out of the SUV and Ed and Ben carried the boys up three flights of stairs to one of the middle decks of the ferry. Heather, Ben and Jackson headed off to find the concessions stand for a snack while Olivia, Ed, and Noah found an empty section of railing overlooking the water. Ed set Noah down, and he walked to the railing, wrapping his tiny hands around the cable and looking out.

"Wow," he breathed.

Olivia crouched beside him and wrapped an arm around him. "Big ocean, huh, baby?"

Noah nodded. He pointed off in the distance and whipped his head around to look at Ed. "Daddy, what is that?"

Ed smiled while he strained to see what Noah was pointing at. _Daddy_ never got old.

"That's a fishing boat, bud. They bring in crabs and lobsters and shrimp." He ruffled Noah's hair. "You like all those things, right?" he teased.

Noah scrunched up his face, shaking his head. "No shrimps."

Olivia laughed. "You've never had shrimps before, my love. How do you know you don't like them?"

Noah turned to look at her, repeating. "No shrimps, Mommy."

Olivia kissed the top of his head and stood again, placing herself behind him with her hands on his shoulders as he leaned against her legs. Ed came up behind her and threaded his arms between hers and her body, accepting her body weight as she leaned against him, the back of her head against his shoulder.

"Look this way," Heather commanded, and as soon as they did, she snapped a picture. They looked like dominos about to fall.

"Send that to me, would ya?" Olivia asked her.

Heather nodded. "Already did." She paused and added with a wink, "And the one I took before you knew we were back." Olivia chuckled and rolled her eyes.

Ben leaned against the railing next to them, caging Jackson with his legs. "It's beautiful, huh?" He gestured to the ocean.

"Sure is," Ed agreed.

Heather shot Olivia a sly smile, "Just wait till you see the cottage."

##

When one hears the word "cottage", typically it's thought to mean quaint, small, cozy.

Ben's parent's home was certainly cozy in a grandiose sort of way, but in no way did it fit the other two descriptions.

Heather pointed it out before they even docked the ferry.

"D'you see that humongous purple house, with the castle-y thing going on… just over there?" She pointed her finger and Olivia followed.

Just across a pretty large green expanse, a field or a park of some sort, there was a row of houses, not unlike the Painted Ladies in San Francisco. From what Olivia could see, Ben's parent's home was two stories with a wraparound porch on the first level and a smaller balcony on the second. Off to one side of the house was a tower-like appendage to the home, no doubt the _castle-y_ thing that Heather had referred to.

"Yeah…?"

"That's it," Heather said succinctly. Olivia and Ed's eyes widened considerably and Heather giggled. "Told ya," she said.

" _That_ is the _cottage_ we're staying at?" Olivia asked in disbelief.

Ben nodded. "That's the one." Wryly, he added, "Blame my mother for the color."

Olivia chuckled and Ed nodded as he took in the other houses on the street where Heather had pointed. None of them were painted what he would consider to be normal colors for a house. "It seems to fit in."

"Oh, yeah," Heather agreed, waving her hand. "It's a thing. You'll see."

##

When they arrived at the cottage, they put together a small lunch from the fully stocked fridge before heading out to explore, hoping to tide everyone over until dinner.

Olivia walked the town wide-eyed and slack-jawed, gushing at the overall adorableness. From the tiny little Post Office, to the bakeries and chocolatiers, souvenir shops, creameries, etc. she was falling in love with this little island town.

Oak Bluffs, it was called.

After she cooed at the second bakery they passed – this time, one for dogs – Ed couldn't hold in the laugh.

"What?" she asked him, defensively. "I've hardly ever been out of New York when it wasn't for a case!"

"I said nothing," Ed claimed, innocently.

"Yeah, yeah…" He squeezed her hand in his and gave her a kiss when she turned to look at him again.

"You're just cute," he teased.

They were early in the tourist season so there weren't as many people milling about as there easily could've been. Still, the sidewalks were narrow down the main thoroughfare and it left Heather and Ben walking ahead of them with Jackson while they hung back, moving a little slower to take it all in.

They saw Heather and Ben turn down a small alcove, and when they followed, they were enveloped in darkness briefly. Ed, carrying Noah, pulled Olivia closer and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Do you think they dragged us here so they could kill us?" His breath against her ear made her shiver involuntarily, and she smiled at his teasing, shaking her head dismissively.

"Too much work." Ed snorted a laugh. "Plus, do you really see Heather orchestrating murder?"

"Fair point," he conceded.

Olivia loved her friend, immensely, but sometimes it was a wonder to her that Heather kept a business together.

Suddenly, they came out on the other side of the alcove-slash-alley they'd been guided to, and Olivia gasped at the sight before them.

It was a bunch of tiny houses – _true_ cottages, not the behemoth of a house that they were staying in. There were so many of them. Not a single one, as far as she could tell, was painted an ordinary color. She saw hot pink, light green, one house that used all of the primary colors, houses painted to honor sports teams… Some of them had names.

 _The Room of Requirement_ said one placard.

Another was inscribed with the word _Narnia._

Still another was dubbed its owners _Happy Place_.

Heather's voice interrupted her stupor. "They're called the Gingerbread Cottages," she explained. "No two are alike. They're all privately owned." Even Heather sounded awed.

Ed spotted one that had Thomas the Train's face painted on the door and pointed it out to Noah. "Look, bud. Thomas!"

Noah slapped Ed's chest excitedly and Olivia ushered them closer to take a picture. "Perfect!"

There had to be over a hundred of these Gingerbread Cottages lining winding pathways just wide enough for a golf cart to come through. The group took random turns, stopping and taking pictures at a couple of different cottages – a Yankees themed one for Ed; Lisa Frank for Heather (that one gave Olivia a headache if she looked at it too long).

Finally, they ended up in a Tabernacle at the center of this camp community. Presently, there were families eating lunch on the picnic tables, but there was a stage and a bulletin board indicated they often did productions with the local children's theatre.

"This is so great," Olivia gushed, looking around as they sat at one of the tables to take a break from walking. She took Noah from Ed and set him in her lap, absently resting her chin on the back of his head. "Have you ever seen a play here?"

"We went to one…last year, was it?" Ben looked to Heather for confirmation and she nodded. "It was cool." He looked around.

They sat in a comfortable silence as Ed and Olivia continued to absorb their surroundings, watching families play nearby and marveling at the Gingerbread Cottages, still.

"The sense of community is my favorite part about coming here. You saw a few people out now, but wait till later, back at the house." Ben shook his head, laughing. "It's like a block party that lasts all summer long."

"Block party!" Jackson repeated.

Olivia leaned into Ed, and he smiled at her warmly. "That sounds really nice."

##

For dinner, Ben insisted on getting a couple of pizzas from the Italian restaurant just up the pathway from the house.

"They have the _best_ pizza on the island," he boasted. Ed, a lifelong New Yorker, was wary of any pizza that was not New York pizza, but he kept his mouth shut after an unexpected kick to the shins from Olivia and joined Ben on the walk anyway.

They ate on the porch.

Olivia thought it was hilarious; sitting outside of a house that they could fit their apartment into about six times over, and they were spending the majority of their time on the front porch or walking around the town. Looking around, though, she saw Ben was right. There were people out on every porch she could see: laughing, drinking, and playing games.

They hadn't even been on the island a full day and she was already recognizing that this place was more like a peaceful extension of home more so than it was a vacation spot.

Heather and Olivia put the boys to bed shortly after dinner, and as it often happened at home, when the little ones were gone, the alcohol made an appearance.

"Look what I found," Ben called, holding up a deck of Uno cards. "I suspect, if we try hard enough, we can turn this into a drinking game."

"Oh, God," Olivia laughed.

"No, come on," Heather insisted. "It'll be fun." She looked at the array of cards. "Let's say… if someone gives you a draw-four, you drink."

Ed chuckled. "I think that's giving other players a little too much control over someone else's drunkenness, don't you?"

"Well, it _has_ been a goal of mine to get you plastered, Ed," Heather shared. "Ask Liv."

Ed looked at Olivia with a smile and she rolled her eyes. "So, what else?"

"Let's see…" Ben scratched his chin, thinking. "If you get skipped, you drink."

"Yes! That's a good one," Heather agreed.

"How about, if someone gets Uno, everyone else drinks?" Ed asked, cautiously. All three heads turned to look at him surprised he was contributing. "What?" he asked, not liking being the center of attention.

Heather began a dramatic slow clap, at which Olivia rolled her eyes playfully, and Ben announced, "Okay! We have our rules…"

Ed leaned over to Olivia and whispered in her ear, "Do you think they started drinking before us?"

Olivia chuckled, watching Heather and Ben as they shuffled. "No question," she confirmed with a smile. She lifted a hand to his cheek and kissed him softly. "Having fun so far?"

"I am," he confirmed, kissing her again. "I like being with you like this."

"Me, too," she smiled.

"Yoo-hoo, Lovebirds!" Heather taunted. "Ready when you are…"

Olivia spared an exasperated glance in Ed's direction and saw him fighting a smile before she turned her attention to the game again.

"Who starts?"

##

The next morning the adults were dragging a little bit, slightly hung over from that ill-advised second game of Uno.

They walked to the main drag of Oak Bluffs and sat down for breakfast at one of the bakeries/restaurants before hopping on a shuttle bus to visit a lighthouse on the western end of the island. It wasn't a short drive, but it was a small island so it wasn't a long one either. The view up into the hills was gorgeous, all kinds of flowers blooming for spring on either side of the road as they trudged up to the Gay Head Lighthouse in Aquinnah.

Olivia's mind was still foggy from the previous night, but the view before them when they reached the lighthouse still took her breath away. Unlike the East Chop lighthouse, which they had visited earlier and was situated on a flat surface, level with the sea, this one was perched high on a clay cliff, surrounded by wheatgrass.

Olivia held tightly to Noah's shoulders as he stood before her, not relaxing her grip so he wouldn't venture too close to the edge of the cliff. The Preservation Society didn't want to ruin the natural ambiance of the landscape, so there weren't really adequate railings around the edges.

She felt Ed come up behind her and wrap her arms around her, and she settled back into him. "It's beautiful," he stated, awestruck as he looked out onto the ocean.

"Mhmm," she agreed. She couldn't see where the sky ended and the water began in the horizon. "Kinda makes you appreciate how small we really are. We're just a tiny little piece of this world."

Ed squeezed his arms around her waist. "You two are my _whole_ world."

He pulled back from her a little to give her space to turn her head to face him, and she smiled into his lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He pressed his lips more firmly to hers and allowed her to coax his mouth open with her tongue. She allowed herself this small indulgence, on this beautiful Cliffside overlooking the ocean.

"Picture time!" Heather's voice called to them, and Olivia allowed herself to be posed this way and that, in front of the lighthouse as well as with the cliff as a backdrop, before returning the favor for Heather's family, albeit with slightly less exuberance.

As they walked away from the cliff and toward the tour bus, they heard a chorus of _oohs_ and _awws_ that drew their attention. They turned back to see that a young man off in the distance had dropped to his knee before the woman he was with, holding a ring, and both Olivia and Heather gasped, clutching their chests.

They, along with the roughly fifty other tourists on the bluff with them, waited with bated breath, before the girl launched herself into the man's arms.

Ed looked at Olivia and noticed she was wiping a tear from her eye. "What a beautiful place to propose," she said thoughtfully.

He smiled and kissed her temple.

"Good for them."

##

In the evening, Ben fished out a mini corn hole set complete with bean bags, and he and Ed brought it out to the strip of grass that served as a front lawn while Heather and Olivia watched from the porch as they taught the boys how to play.

For a second, it looked like it was going to be disastrous, as Noah and Jackson seemed keen on throwing the beanbags at _each other_ instead of the boards. Luckily, though, neither had good aim so there was no strife between the bedmates.

Olivia and Heather nursed mimosas while they watched the boys, waving to passersby who were walking through the park that was literally feet from their front door.

"What do you guys want to do for dinner?" Heather asked.

"Whatever," Olivia shrugged noncommittally. "We're good with whatever you recommend."

"There's a place called Chesca's in Edgartown." Heather dropped her voice, "That's the _really nice_ area." Olivia laughed. "We'll go there."

"Kid-friendly?" Olivia asked.

Heather shook her head. "Maude, a few houses down," Heather pointed and waved to an older woman, who, as luck would have it, was sitting out on her porch. "She always watches Jackson for us when we do the date-night thing." Olivia nodded. "She's a family friend and has got a trillion grandkids. He always has a blast."

Chuckling, Olivia said, "Sounds good." She felt Ed watching her and turned to meet his eyes, quirking her eyebrow at his smirk. This was the flirty game they liked the play when they weren't close enough to verbally communicate.

Heather sighed, smiling as she watched them. "I swear you two are like a couple of horny teenagers."

##

"To good friends and good vacations," Heather toasted later that night at the restaurant.

Ben, Olivia and Ed murmured their agreement as their glasses clinked and they all took a sip.

The restaurant that Heather and Ben had taken them to was attached to a swanky hotel in the Edgartown area, and from what Olivia saw, it was _the_ place to go for a date night. It was crowded, bustling, but it still managed to retain a romantic ambiance, between the lighting, soft music, and the way each table maintained an air of privacy thanks to frosted glass partitions.

"I can't believe tomorrow is the last full day here," Olivia said, awed at how quickly time had been passing.

Ben nodded, "Seems like we've hit the fast-forward button or something."

Olivia rested her hand on Ed's thigh and leaned into him while they talk and ate, stealing the occasional kiss and flirtatious glance.

Rather than get dessert at the restaurant, they opted to get a couple of ice cream cones from a nearby creamery and they walked the residential streets of Edgartown as they ate, Ben regaling the group with as much historical information about the area as he could remember. Some of the larger homes close to the docks used to be Captains homes, he had said.

They were all beautifully maintained and restored.

"How much money do you think one of these goes for nowadays?" Ed asked in Olivia's ear.

She chuckled. "Probably more money than you and I will ever see in our lifetime."

##

They stopped at Maude's on the way back to the house to pick up the boys, who were fighting sleep.

Heather and Olivia got them changed and tucked in for bed before they headed downstairs to the main living spaces

Ed was upstairs getting some extra towels from a closet when he heard a small voice yell, "Daddy!"

He poked his head into the room where Jackson and Noah were sharing a double bed. Noah was sitting up and waiting for him. "What is it, bud?"

"Can you read us a story?"

Ed looked to Jackson, who was awake, but barely, and eagerly looking at him.

"Sure, kiddo." He picked up one of the books that they'd brought for Noah. "Just one though, and then you boys have to go to sleep." They nodded. "This one okay?"

"Uh-huh."

The boys separated a little bit and created a space for Ed on the bed between them and he crawled in. Holding the book open between them, he read as both boys leaned over to look at the pictures.

Olivia was always better at story time; she knew exactly how to change her voice to create each new character. He wasn't as gifted, but he tried, and felt little bursts of pride whenever Noah and Jackson laughed at his funny voices.

He found himself imagining, as he read, some day in the future when he'd be doing this for Noah and his potential sibling. The more time went by, the more he thought about the conversation he and Olivia had about expanding their family, and the more ferociously he wanted it.

Finishing the story, he carefully extricated himself from the bed when he realized that both boys had fallen asleep. He gently laid the book on the night table and turned to leave the room, when Olivia's presence in the doorway scared the daylights out of him.

"Jesus, make a noise next time, would ya?" he cried in a dramatic whisper, clutching his chest and walking toward her, enveloping her in his arms.

"Sorry," she chuckled. She wiped a stray tear from her eye as he guided them away from the bedroom and shut the door so they didn't disturb Jackson and Noah. "You disappeared when we got back. I came looking for you."

"What's with the water works, Benson?" he asked, wiping at her eyes.

She quirked her head at him, teasing, "I cry at everything," she deadpanned. "Don't you know that by now?"

"Fair point, but what gives?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. "I just love seeing you with them, like that." She squeezed him a little tighter. "Ed the Daddy gets me every time."

She pulled her head back and smiled at him before closing her eyes as he leaned in to her. He pecked her lips once, twice, before she latched onto his bottom lip with her teeth and tugged his mouth back to hers, deepening their kisses.

He moaned softly when her tongue found it's way between his lips to tangle with his in a deep, relaxed kiss. He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. "Do we have to be social still or can we call it a night?"

The look on his face was pointed, seductive, and she could feel the heat of arousal course through her. It had been too long since they made love. "No, we'll say we're tired and go to bed." She leaned in and kissed him again, softly.

"You're not fooling anyone, you know," Heather's matter-of-fact voice made Olivia jump.

"Jesus, Heather," she gasped, bending her head to rest against Ed's chest as she recovered.

Heather looked at them innocently. "What?"

##

Olivia pushed Ed back on the bed, straddling him once he slid back toward the headboard.

"I'm making you a promise, now," she said, bending down to trail her tongue along his chest.

"Oh yeah?" he moaned. "And what's that?"

She slid further up his body, planting open-mouthed kisses on his neck before biting at his earlobe, eliciting more appreciative noises from him.

"The next vacation we go on," her mouth traveled from his neck to his jaw, "will just be us." She skipped over his mouth, pulling away when he tried to kiss her, and instead going to the other side of his neck. "No Heather or Ben." She found his jaw again. "No Jackson," she continued. "And as much as I love him, no Noah."

She stopped kissing him, her face hovering over his as he trailed his hands all over the parts of her body that he could reach. He nodded, smirking. "I like that promise."

"I thought you might," she teased, quirking her eyebrow.

"Just you and me," he said, reaching his arms up to gently massage her breasts. She tilted her head back and breathed out a moan.

"You and me," she confirmed. "I've missed you," she rolled her hips over his.

Ed looked at her quizzically. "I've been right here the whole time."

"Yeah," she agreed, "but we haven't had a lot of time to ourselves."

He reached up and threaded his fingers through her hair, bringing her face down and finally connecting with her lips. She opened her mouth to his tongue immediately and released a loud moan.

"We have time to ourselves right now," he said breathlessly, when he released her lips.

She nodded, pulling him into another deep kiss before she stared into his eyes, tracing his lips with the pad of her thumb. "Make love to me, Ed."

He smirked, the open-mouthed one that she loved, and she bit her lip, squealing as he turned them over and settled above her, between her thighs.

"I thought you'd never ask."

 **A/N: Part 2 coming soon! Thoughts?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Martha's Vineyard #2. Mistakes are mine, as are Ben and Heather.**

 **##**

"Ed," Olivia whispered, nudging him to wake him up. He stirred, but then settled immediately and she smiled. "Ed, wake up," she whispered again, louder.

Still nothing.

She lowered the sheet from his bare chest and started ghosting kisses along his skin, keeping her eyes trained to his face as she did. She lightly bit at the skin of one of his pecs, and finally, his eyes flickered open.

"Hmm, this is a nice way to wake up," he murmured, brushing her hair out of her face. "Good morning," he kissed her.

"Good morning." She smiled. "Go for a run with me?"

Immediately, he groaned. "If a workout is what you're after, I can give you one right here," he said suggestively, grinning as he pulled her on top of him.

She laughed at his attempt at seduction, despite the sleepiness still etched in his face. "Come on," she prodded him. "I want to go for a run along the beach." She leaned down and kissed him. "And I want you to come with me."

"Why?" He whined.

"Because no one else is awake. It'll be like we have the whole island to ourselves," she kissed him again. "Please?"

He looked at her. "Damn you and your pouting," he sighed in defeat. "Fine. Just a short one, though," he reasoned.

She beamed. "That's all I'm asking." She leaned down and kissed him, sucking on his bottom lip as she pulled away. "Thank you."

He grumbled at her playfully, but got up with her and minutes later, after grabbing a pre-run banana snack, they walked out of the house and down the steps side by side.

Ed let her set the pace she was most comfortable with and trudged along easily beside her. They ran in silence; the only sounds between them were the gentle puffs of their breathing. They moved as if they were one body, each innately knowing when one person wanted to turn left, right or stay the course going straight.

As they approached the easternmost tip of the public beach, Olivia looked over to him, a wicked glint in her eye, "Hey old man," she huffed. "Race you to the beach?"

Without giving him a chance to respond, she tore off ahead of him at a sprint. Her running shoes hit the sand before his, and she nearly fell over when he tackled her from behind only seconds later. She squealed and he wrapped his arms around her waist, steadying them both before they fell.

He reached down for her hands, interlacing his fingers with hers as they came to face each other again.

"Never would have figured you for a cheater," he admonished playfully.

She shrugged, taunting him with a wink. "It's not my fault your reflexes aren't as sharp as they used to be."

"Smartass," he grumbled, shaking his head.

She smiled at him teasingly, "You have only yourself to blame. You've rubbed off on me." He looked like he wanted to make a joke, but she glared at him and he quickly changed course.

"Don't give me credit for that," he said, pulling her closer. "You've been a smartass as long as I've known you." He kissed her lips softly. "It's just cuter now than it used to be," he smirked. Ed looked out onto the horizon. The sun was on its way up, burning through a light fog that had settled over the island in the early morning hours. He squeezed her hand. "Want to sit for a while?"

She nodded, smiling triumphantly. It had practically taken an act of God to get him out of bed for this. Now he wanted to stay. "Sure."

Ed plopped onto the sand, reaching his hands out and pulling her down in front of him so that her back was to his chest and his arms wrapped around her waist. She settled one hand over his that were clasped together on her stomach, her other hand rested on his knee. She settled against him with a contented sigh.

"This is nice," she murmured.

"Mhmm," he squeezed her midsection a little tighter. "So, where are you taking me on our private vacation?"

She chucked. "I don't know." Turning to look at him, she asked. "Any special requests?"

He shrugged. "Nah. Anywhere with you is good."

Her eyebrow lifted. "Anywhere? That's dangerous."

"I'll take the risk," he assured her with a sardonic smile.

She said nothing, only smiled at him and turned her attention toward the water. She had nestled into him, and when she turned her head to watch an older gentleman walking his dog along the shoreline, the sun caught her eyes just right and made them look more like a warm caramel than the shade of brown they usually were. He stared unabashedly for several moments before her voice brought him back.

"Stop looking at me like that," she ordered.

Innocently, he asked, "Like what?"

"Like you just want to devour me," she explained with a gentle nudge of his ribs with her elbow.

He simpered. "Well…"

She turned back to look at him, an amused expression on her face, and leaned in for a short kiss. "Thank you for coming out here with me," she murmured sweetly. He didn't respond, just leaned in for another kiss before she pushed off of him and stood, offering her hand to him to help him up once she was on her feet. "Let's go."

She intertwined the fingers of her right hand with his left as they walked leisurely back to the house. A few more people were out and about, older couples taking walks through the park, a few carrying to-go coffee cups from one of the local joints on the main road. Nearly everyone they saw waved and said hello as they passed.

Walking into the house, they heard the distant voices of the boys and Ben originating from the kitchen. She trudged up the stairs, Ed behind her, keen on making herself more presentable before they joined everyone downstairs. "I'm jumping in the shower," she told him.

Nodding, Ed closed the bedroom door behind them and plopped onto the edge of the bed with a tired but contented sigh, laying flat on his back with his legs dangling over the edge of the mattress. Olivia turned on the water in the shower, ridding herself of her sweaty shirt before standing in the threshold between the bedroom and bathroom in her sports bra and shorts. Her gaze was on him, drifting from his head to his toes.

She knew, once they left this room, they likely wouldn't have time alone until tonight, and even then they'd have to get up early for the ferry in the morning. She smiled mischievously. "You joining me?"

He lifted himself so he was propped up on his elbows and stared at her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Without a word, he stood up and tore his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room as he stalked toward her.

As he approached, she backed herself into the bathroom, grinning at the predatory look in his eyes and she knew she had him. Hook. Line. Sinker.

He crouched down, putting a hand behind each of her thighs and lifting her, muffling her surprised yelp by covering her lips with his as her arms wrapped around his neck. He started walking them into the shower, and Olivia stopped him by squeezing his hips between her thighs. She broke their kiss looking pointedly down at the articles of clothing they were both still wearing.

She teased, "Not that I don't appreciate - and completely understand - your enthusiasm…but can we at least get undressed first?"

##

An hour later, they descended the stairs and made their way into the kitchen, freshly cleaned and satisfied.

"And where were you guys?" Heather asked.

"We went for a run," Olivia replied casually, sneaking a flirtatious glance at Ed. "Sat on the beach for a few minutes to cool down." _Only to heat back up once they got home…_ She poured a glass of orange juice and walked over to Noah, who was sitting in a booster seat at the table. "Good morning, my love."

"Morny, mommy."

Olivia looked to Heather, "Sorry about leaving you hanging with Noah. I thought we'd be back before he got up," she apologized.

Heather waved her off, "Please." She looked at Noah lovingly, "He's the easy one."

Ed walked to the table, toasted bagel and schmear on plate in his hand. He ruffled Noah's hair and sat in the chair next to him.

"No good morning for me, bud?"

Noah smiled shyly. "Morny, daddy."

Ed kissed the top of his head and smiled. "That's better." He caught Olivia's gaze and winked at her. She sat in the chair next to him and leaned into his side, laying her hand on his thigh.

"Good morning, newcomers," Ben called, emerging from outside. He moved around the kitchen, pouring himself a drink and toasting a bagel. "What's on the agenda today?"

The adults looked at each other, shrugging noncommittally. They'd seen all the major attractions that they wanted to. There was nothing pressing to hit on this, the last day on the island.

"We can just hang out…" Ed suggested.

Heather perked up. "Would you guys mind terribly if we split into girls and guys for a few hours?"

Ben and Ed looked at each other and shrugged. "Not at all."

Heather beamed, pointing her index finger at Olivia. "You and me. Mani-Pedi. It's not a real vacation without one."

"I missed that in the travel guide," Olivia joked, shooting a wry glance at Ed who chuckled silently. "But that sounds good."

##

The boys were getting antsy, so Ben and Ed took them for a walk around Oak Bluffs before boarding a shuttle over to Vineyard Haven, where there were a lot more stores and things geared toward the family crowd.

They were walking down streets lined with old, but beautifully maintained craftsman-style houses and boutique hotels, souvenir shops and sweet shops offering homemade fudge.

Ben was getting a couple of cones for the boys at a mobile creamery when Ed meandered in front of a vintage jewelry store.

Ed's attention inexplicably was drawn to a certain display, and his eyes combed over the different styles. Round cut, cushioned cut, emerald cut, pear-shaped. Some were set into gold bands, others white gold, still others platinum.

No two rings were the same, and it was entirely possible that none of these rings had a twin anywhere else in the world, either. Signage in the window indicated that they were mostly acquired in estate sales and auctions from the Martha's Vineyard elite - old Hollywood royalty, politicians, etc.

Ed watched Ben walk up in the reflection on the store window. Ben looked from the rings to Ed then back again. It seemed to Ben like a deeply personal thing to be observing: Ed looking at rings. But something in the older man's stance, his gaze, seemed to suggest that even _he_ wasn't even sure how he came to be standing here at this storefront.

"Thinking about getting one?" he asked casually, turning and leaning on the glass so he could watch the boys on the bench a few feet away.

Ed stood, hands in his pockets, and nodded, glancing at Ben with a small smile. "Thinking about it."

Ben nodded, and they were silent for a moment. "Does she know?"

He shook his head. How could she? Ed himself didn't even know he was going to be doing this until about two seconds before Ben asked him about it.

He and Olivia hadn't talked about marriage explicitly yet; buying a ring wasn't something he'd planned on doing today, tomorrow or even a month down the road. And yet, here he was.

It felt right.

Ben considered him, and then asked. "Do you know when you're gonna do it?"

"No idea," Ed chuckled.

They were still in the silence. Ben watching the boys; Ed watching the rings.

"Do you see any one in particular that you think she'll like?"

He did. There were dozens of rings before him, but his eyes kept gravitating toward a specific one.

It was white gold with a single round-cut diamond on it. On either side of the stone were details that resembled the hands of the Claddagh, with scrolls that carried the whole way around the band, tiny stones embedded within. Each side of the band was adorned with intricate swirls and the inside. It was beautiful - not too simple, but not too elaborately detailed, either.

He liked the symbolism of the Claddagh, too, and this ring resembled that image without being tacky or gaudy like a lot of Claddagh rings he'd seen.

He pointed it out to Ben, who turned to look at it and nodded appreciatively. "Nice! Do you want me to take Noah and keep walking so you can finish this, or do you want to keep him here with you?"

Ed considered this. "What are the chances of a three-year-old being able to keep buying a piece of jewelry _for_ his mother, _from_ his mother?" He wasn't being sarcastic - he hadn't been around many three-year-olds before Noah and he'd never needed him to keep a secret before; he wasn't sure.

Ben winced, shaking his head slightly and rocking back on his feet as he looked at Noah. "You never can tell, man." He chuckled. "Jax remembers the things I want him to forget, and he forgets the things I want him to remember."

Ed smiled and nodded, returning his attention to the ring. "You know what, you take Noah and go ahead. I'll catch up." Ben nodded. "I want to talk to him about this man-to-man before I ask her, but I'm not asking her this weekend." Ed paused, chuckling. "I'm not good at this stuff. I'm way out of my league here, but something is telling me not to walk away from this ring."

Ben smiled. "That's how you know it's right." He turned, looking at the ring again. "It's a beautiful ring, Ed. But honestly… She's going to love any ring you give her because it comes from you." His lips lift in a wry grin, "And if you tell either of the girls I was such a sap, I'll deny it," he warned.

Ed chuckled. "Back at you." Shrugging, he added, "Although I think my reputation as a hard-ass was pretty much shot to hell the second she agreed to have a drink with me."

"I could see that…" Ben chuckled, but then grew serious, looking out onto the street as he spoke. "Look, can I say something, married guy to maybe-soon-to-be-married-guy?" He glanced at Ed, who had now turned his full attention to him. They weren't close; not like Heather and Olivia, but they had a bond.

"'Course."

Ben sighed. "I don't know details, but I do know she's been through a lot." Ed tensed, and his eyes darkened a shade for a split second before Ben continued. "I haven't known either of you long, but it doesn't take five minutes with you both to see how happy you make each other." Ben shrugged. "She seems like the kind of girl that isn't going to take any shit – especially not if it threatens her son. I'm sure, if she's still with you, you're a lot better at this stuff than you think you are," he chuckled, and gave Ed a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't stress over it. Just keep making her happy."

Ed turned his gaze back to the ring. "That's the plan."

"Good," Ben nodded and rubbed his hands together. "I think I might need a beer later after all this mushy talk."

"You and me both," Ed agreed. "Hey, Ben?" He looked at the younger man. "Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem."

"And don't tell Heather. About," he gestured at the ring, "y'know," Ed reminded.

Ben scoffed. "Are you kidding? I learned that lesson long ago, my friend. Jackson may be iffy on keeping secrets, but he's always been better at it than she is…" Ben headed toward the boys. "We'll catch you in a bit."

"If he asks where I am…" Ed started, looking at Noah.

Ben waved him off, "I'll come up with something."

"Thanks, I'll catch up."

Ed stared at the ring for a moment longer before taking a deep breath and pulling the door open.

An older woman behind the counter smiled at him knowingly. "Afternoon," she greeted. "See something ya like?"

Nodding, he pointed at the ring in the display case. "I'll take that one."

##

Freshly primped and with to-go coffee cups in hand, Heather and Olivia walked down Water Street in Edgartown. They were mostly window-shopping, but every once in a while they'd duck into a store and look around.

Olivia thumbed the price tag on a blouse in one boutique and her eyes widened. In a harsh whisper, she said to Heather, "This thing costs more than I spend on rent!"

In Manhattan, that was saying something.

Heather chuckled. "I'd walk a good perimeter around it," she pointed to Olivia's coffee cup. "I'm willing to bet there's a you-break-you-buy policy in a place like this."

"I think I'd rather just walk around in a store I can afford," Olivia retorted, checking out another price tag and shaking her head in disgust.

"Not too many of those in this town," Heather said wistfully. "We don't have to buy anything. I just need ideas for new merch."

They wandered, leaving that store and walking into another, casually talking about the trip so far, the boys, upcoming events going on back home, etc.

In the middle of rifling through a rack of peasant blouses, Heather glanced back at Olivia and pursed her lips, asking her, "So, shower sex, huh?"

She said it as casually as if she was asking about the weather or what Olivia wanted for lunch.

Olivia's head sprang up from what she was looking at. "What about it?" Heather narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side. "You heard that?" she breathed.

Heather laughed. "Oh honey," patting Olivia's arm, "it didn't sound like you were even trying to be quiet." Olivia's eyes slipped shut. Enjoying Olivia's reaction, Heather continued, "Ed sounds...skilled."

Olivia groaned, hanging her head, heat rushing to her face. "Oh, God."

Heather nodded. "Yep, heard _that_ a few times, too," she ribbed. She looked at the pink hue that was coloring Olivia's cheeks and neck. "I swear…few things satisfy me more than making you blush."

Olivia was mortified, but couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "Please stop talking," she tried to cover Heather's mouth with her hand, but the younger woman moved away. "I can't believe you heard us."

Heather smirked and continued walking. "And here I was worried that this family vacation was cutting into your couple-time." She nudged Olivia with her elbow, her eyes gleaming.

Resigned, Olivia smiled, shaking her head. "No, we've managed just fine..."

Heather scoffed, "I'll say." Olivia slapped her arm and she winked, exiting the store and continuing beside her friend on the street.

##

 **A/N: Sorry if the ending is abrupt here – I had almost 7000 words for this update and decided to split it up into two chapters, so you'll get the resolution to their vacation soon. It's already done :) Show of hands: who loves Ben after this one?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I don't know about you guys, but I'm looking forward to them getting back to NYC. I miss the squad. :) In the meantime, enjoy!**

"Right foot yellow," Heather called out.

Olivia tried her best to crane her neck to see her friend, but the pretzel she was currently folded into made that next to impossible.

"Did you even spin it that time, or are you just going with whatever suits you?" Olivia snapped playfully.

Heather smirked behind the spinner. "Of course I spun it…you just didn't hear it because of the blood rushing in your ears," she said quickly, shooting her husband a wink. He was recording this whole thing on his phone, unbeknownst to Ed and Olivia.

Olivia rolled her eyes and grunted from the effort it took to move her foot from blue to yellow, as instructed.

After spending most of the morning and early afternoon split between girls and guys, they'd all met back at the house for a late lunch before Ben scavenged the game closet again and unearthed Twister.

Ben and Heather had quickly volunteered Ed and Olivia to go first. Noah was trying his best to go along, but that amounted to putting random limbs on random colors with each command that Heather gave since he was neither tall enough to reach from one end of the mat to the other, nor did he at all understand the game.

Olivia was growing increasingly suspicious of Heather's motives, however, because each move only served to tangle her and Ed more and more – even beyond the intent of the game.

Once she was securely in the latest position, Ed having finagled it before her attempt, she huffed a strand of hair out of her face, which was red from being hunched over, and called to Heather. "Okay. Next."

"Right hand green," Heather commanded, trying to suppress laughter.

Olivia's head snapped up. "Okay, I _know_ I didn't hear you spin it that time, you little…"

"Children present!" Heather sang, interrupting her.

Ed chuckled as Olivia grumbled from her position, deliciously pressed against his side. He made the attempt first, mentally counting to three before throwing his weight into the move, his right hand slapping on a green circle.

Even if they managed to successfully survive this little exercise Heather was putting them through, they were criss-crossed in so many places she didn't see any hope of getting out of this without falling first.

"I am so getting her back for this," Olivia muttered softly, so only Ed could hear.

"Right hand green, mommy!" Noah reminded. He was lying flat on his back now, partially under her as she hovered over the mat.

"I know baby," she smiled at him. "Be careful, I don't want to crush you if I fall." He wisely shifted to the side a little bit, no longer beneath her.

The second she lifted her hand from where it had lain on red she knew she wasn't going to make it. Too much of her weight was thrown to one side, the side that was pressed against Ed.

It happened in slow motion, her loss of balance causing him to roll to his right, taking her with him. She rearranged herself as they fell so her chest smacked down onto his as he came into contact with the floor of the porch, and they both groaned loudly from the impact.

A split second later, laughter erupted - from everyone. Noah clamored onto her back so that they were both on top of Ed, and Heather, Ben and Jackson were in hysterics on the love seat.

"Oh, that was better than I ever could have imagined," Heather cried, wiping tears from her eyes. She looked at her husband, "Did you get it?"

He hit the button to stop recording and slid his phone into his pocket with a triumphant grin. "Every second."

Olivia looked into Ed's eyes; they were alight with amusement. "Are we crushing you?"

Her whole body was shaking from Noah's laughter as he lay along her back.

"I can take it," he assured her smugly, and she shook her head.

"Okay, my love," she said, directing her attention to Noah. "Let's get up before we flatten Daddy into a pancake." Noah giggled, pushing off of her as he got up, causing both her and Ed to groan.

She propped herself up into a plank position before moving her legs to the side and pushing herself up from her knees, extending a hand to help Ed up, just as she'd done earlier that morning on the beach.

"Well," Heather said with a grin. "That was entertaining."

Olivia took the spinner from her and sat down in her spot on the couch. "I do believe it's your guys' turn now," she said evilly as Ed took a seat next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Payback is a…" she eyed her son and Jackson. " _Witch_."

Heather and Ben stood at opposite corners of the Twister mat, hands on their hips and smug smiles on their faces, awaiting her instruction.

Olivia's eyes locked on Heather's in challenge. Two could play at this game. Without making a move to spin the dial, she grinned and called out, "Left foot blue."

##

Their afternoon of games was unexpectedly successful in wearing everyone out, and by the time an evening movie was being projected in the park across from the house, both boys were asleep and a comfortable, tired silence had taken over.

Jackson was passed out on the wicker loveseat, his head on Ben's lap, who had his feet propped up on an ottoman. Noah was curled up in Olivia lap, his face buried in her chest.

"How are the separation issues going with the appendage you have over there?" Heather asked, softly disrupting the quiet.

Olivia snorted a laugh, rubbing her hand along Noah's back and kissing the top of his head. "I got called on a case the other night and Ed had to tell Noah that I was in the bathroom for three hours so he wouldn't have a meltdown."

Heather laughed, "Oh my God."

"I know," she rested her cheek on Noah's head and looked at her friend, smiling. "I'm kind of surprised he took so easily to you and I going off and doing our own thing earlier."

Heather eyed her. "You know, you moan and groan, but you secretly love it when he can't be away from you, don't you?"

"Maybe a little," Olivia conceded. "Sometimes I don't know who's separation anxiety is worse - mine or his. I love being with him." She sighed. "And someday, he's going to wriggle away from me when I try to kiss him. I'm just enjoying this while it lasts."

Heather smiled. "Have you guys given any more thought to adding?" They had talked about this before, Heather and Olivia, but it seemed like Olivia's relationship had already deepened even since then, so Heather took the chance and asked again.

Shyly, Olivia nodded. "Someday, maybe soon." She stole a cautious glance at Ed, who was engrossed in the movie, and whispered 'later' to Heather, who winked in response.

She looked up and caught Ed's eye, and she mouthed 'I love you' to him. He smiled warmly and nodded, turning his attention back to the movie.

##

Ed couldn't help glancing in her direction, as she was engrossed in conversation with Heather. He couldn't hear their hushed whispers - which was often the case when the two of them were together - but he enjoyed watching Olivia's face light up when she smiled, or the way she looked at Noah, asleep in her arms, tender affection in her eyes. She was beautiful.

The ring he'd purchased earlier was tucked into his things not unlike a set of Russian dolls. The ring in a velvet box; the box in a bag; the bag folded into a pair of his socks; the socks stuffed into a pair of his shoes.

It was burning a hole in his mind.

The more he thought about it, the more nervous he got. He'd only ever seen her wear that thin band on her right ring finger that used to be her mom's, so he wasn't completely sure where her taste in rings lay. He could only cling to the fact that he knew within a second of spotting that ring that it was _the_ ring.

With an inward laugh, he wondered how _he_ was going to keep this from Olivia for any length of time, let alone expect Noah to, once he found out.

Noah.

When they got back home, sometime, he was going to talk to him. He didn't know how or what to say, but he thought he might be able to use her son to help him pop the question.

But, how…

##

"You ready to go home, baby?" Olivia asked, running her fingers through Noah's hair as she tucked him in a little while later. He and Jackson had both woken briefly as they were relocated from the porch to their room by their mothers. Jackson was already asleep beside him.

He nodded. "I miss blocks."

She chuckled. "You can play with your blocks all day when we get home, okay?" His eyelids were already heavy. He hadn't gotten much of a nap today, and they'd kept busy that last day, despite the fact that they didn't really do much of anything. But then again, hours of playing games and giggling on the porch wore her out, so she could only imagine how tired his little body was. "Sleep tight, my sweet boy. Mommy loves you."

She kissed his forehead, and he stirred a little. "Want kiss from Daddy, too."

Her heart swelled and she whispered, "How about I go get him?" Noah nodded.

He was outside on the porch with Ben and Heather when she poked her head out the front door. "Ed," she called.

Ed looked up. "Everything okay?"

"Noah is requesting a goodnight kiss from his Daddy before he goes to sleep," she smiled warmly, knowing how that would affect him. She took his place and shared a look with Heather as Ed made his way into the house and up the stairs.

Noah had already fallen back asleep but when he felt Ed's rough knuckle against his cheek he stirred, his eyes opening to slits.

"Daddy?"

Ed smiled, "I'm here, bud. Time to go night-night."

Noah turned his cheek, "Kiss."

He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Noah's cheek. "Good?" Noah nodded sleepily. "Alright, kiddo. Go to sleep. Love you."

"Love you."

He hovered in the doorway for a minute and watched Noah as he settled into sleep, unconsciously curling into Jackson so they were practically nose-to-nose.

 _I'm going to ask your Mommy to marry me._

"They're amazing at that age, huh?" Ben's whispered voice cut into his thoughts and Ed turned to look at him.

"They really are."

Ben clapped his shoulder and turned to walk away. "The girls are shutting things down downstairs. Early start tomorrow."

Ed spared one last glance at the boys before he closed the door, making his way to his and Olivia's bedroom. "Goodnight."

##

Noah was asleep in her arms when they trudged into the apartment early the following afternoon, and as Ben and Ed deposited the bags in the foyer, she went to put Noah down.

Ben was gone by the time she came back, and Ed was lounging on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. She collapsed next to him, laying her head on his lap and he automatically looked down at her, stroking her hair.

"I'd say that was a successful trip," he pronounced.

Olivia yawned and nodded, blinking away the tears that the force of her yawn had induced. "I'd say so." She caught his eye and smiled tiredly. "I think I need a vacation to recover from my vacation, though."

He studied her face, guiding his fingertips along her features and murmured, "Me, too."

She was watching his eyes as he looked at her, the depth of them staggering to her. She could feel warmth spread over her from his gaze. "What're you staring at?" she whispered.

His eyes flicked to hers and he shook his head. "Just you." He stretched his arm across her chest to rest on her stomach, and her hand covered his own.

They sat in silence for a while, fading in and out of sleep, when she released a breathy chuckle. He didn't open his eyes, only asked her, "What's so funny?"

"I just remembered…Heather heard us," she told him.

His brow furrowed, but still his eyes remained shut. "Heard us what?"

She opened her eyes and looked at him, and at her lack of response, he finally looked down at her. "The shower," she said, pointedly.

His eyes widened and he smirked lazily. "Oh."

Chuckling, she said, "Yeah. Oh."

"What'd she say?"

Olivia let a full-blown smile grace her lips. "She said you sounded _skilled,_ " using air quotes for the final word.

"She's not wrong," he said proudly, eyebrows raised, earning a swat to the chest. "What, you disagree?"

"Smug bastard," she grumbled, smiling.

He shrugged. "I'm okay with that." He leaned over, kissing her forehead. "You still love me."

"You know I do," she nodded, smirking. "You love me, too."

He nodded, smiling before kissing her lips. "Go to sleep."

She didn't need to be told twice.

##

He woke up before she did a couple hours later and carefully removed himself from under her, covering her with the throw blanket.

He walked on the tip of his toes to the luggage, grabbing his bag and lifting it as silently as possible before bringing it back to their bedroom.

Unpacking everything else could wait, but he had to make sure that _he_ unpacked this bag, so she wouldn't stumble upon the only purchase he'd made on the trip that she knew nothing about.

Her ring.

He pulled the pair of socks out of the shoe, unwrapped the bag, and removed the velvet box, scanning the room as he held it in his hand.

 _Where to put it, where to put it…_

Did she ever go into his nightstand? He didn't know. He couldn't put it under the bed, couldn't put it in _her_ nightstand, and she did laundry often enough that he felt sure she'd stumble across it if he kept it in one of the dresser drawers.

His eyes landed on his briefcase. _Bingo._

He had no intentions of carrying it around with him day in and day out, but he could use the briefcase as a vehicle to the bottom right drawer in his desk at work – the one that locked.

 _Yes._

It would be safe there, until such a date and time that he figured out how the hell he was going to ask her to marry him.

##

"You could unpack one suitcase but you couldn't at least start on the others?" she asked him wryly when she woke up.

He balked. Shit. "Uh, well…I made so much noise getting the one into our bedroom, I was afraid I'd wake you if I tried to do more," he thought quickly, brushing hair out of her eyes and kissing her lips.

She smiled. "That was a nice save," she quipped.

Beaming, he kissed her again. "Thank you."

 _Crisis averted._

"Any movement from Noah's room?"

He shook his head. "None."

Olivia sighed. "I'm gonna go get him up. It's not good for him to sleep this long during the day." She got up and trudged toward her son's bedroom, muttering to herself. "Here we go, my love…"

 _Please don't be cranky._

##

Noah, to her relief, was actually well behaved, albeit exhausted, the remainder of the day. But then again, they all were. There was a post-vacation funk permeating the apartment, and they spent the bulk of the day loafing on the couch, Noah cuddled into Olivia's arms, and Olivia into Ed's.

They had spent so much time as a group over the weekend that all three were just relishing being in each other's company again, as a family. Not having to share with anyone else.

After putting Noah to bed, she was a little surprised to find that Ed had shut down the living room and was crawling into bed. She looked at her watch as she walked into their room.

"You're makin' me feel old, Tucker. Ready for bed at eight o'clock?" She asked.

He grinned sheepishly, shrugging. "I'm admitting defeat. How much longer do you think _you_ could've held out?"

"Probably not long," she conceded with a laugh as she finished brushing her teeth and joined him under the covers. "I had fun," she started, turning to face him and propping herself up on her elbow. "But I am so glad to be home." Her eyes sparkled. "There's just something comforting about knowing I could get Chinese food at three in the morning if I really wanted it," she said wistfully.

He snickered, reaching for her hand. "All the reasons you could choose to be excited about being home, and you're talking about Chinese food?"

"Well, that's not the only one…" she said defensively, leaning toward him. He met her halfway, and she smiled as his lips met hers, releasing a sigh into his kiss as one of her hands came up to clutch his face. She could feel the passion coursing through him as his lips moved over hers. "I thought you were tired," she murmured against his mouth.

He kissed her again, delving his tongue into her mouth almost immediately to taste her. He hadn't kissed her properly since they went to sleep last night, and his body was going through withdrawals missing her taste. "Never too tired for this," he breathed back.

As their tongues tangled and hands explored, removing clothes as they went, Ed let his mind drift to the box that was sitting in his briefcase, awaiting carriage to his office.

He listened to her soft sighs and gentle moans as they kissed languidly, and let the contentment wash over him. They had managed to salvage some one-on-one time during the trip, but he was happy to be back in their normal environment, just the three of them again.

He had gained a whole new appreciation for how much it meant to him to be a part of her life and Noah's on this trip, and he let that appreciation show in the way he caressed her, loved her. 

He looked into her eyes as he slipped inside her, and even more than he did when they walked into their apartment earlier, he felt like he was home.

They _felt_ like a family. And with the ring currently hidden just feet away from where they were moving against each other, their bodies slickening with sweat, he was going to make them one.

##

 **A/N: Sigh. #Tuckson.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: HOT DAMN. Can't believe we're at 100 reviews with this story! Thanks so much for the continued feedback and banter on Twitter! :) I ask that you be gentle with me on this one – still pulling myself out of a work-related funk and this one was really, really hard to squeeze out for some reason. Sorry if it's not my best, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!**

 **Btw, in case you forgot, Tuckson kissed. And I've watched the YouTube video of that last scene no less than a kajillion times.**

##

Olivia walked out of her office in the evening, scanning the squad room from her doorway. Dodds had been gone for a couple of weeks now, but there was still an underlying current of sadness permeating the unit, one she didn't expect would completely let up for a while.

The banter that they'd once shared as a team was slowly returning as they adjusted to the lesser headcount and Olivia hoped they'd be back on solid ground soon.

The other day, Fin had made one of his usual wisecracks, and Amanda started laughing before she stopped herself, covering her mouth with her hand as if she'd crossed a line, broken a rule.

"The Sarge would've thought it was funny, too, Rollins," Carisi had reassured her.

Olivia had smiled at this. "We can't stop living _our_ lives because of this, guys," she'd said.

Lord knew she was still wracked with guilt over leaving him in that house, but Lindstrom was helping her with that, and Ed and Noah were helping her with everything else.

She looked at her watch. She still had some time before Lucy would need to be relieved, and Ed was heading straight home this afternoon.

"Guys?" Three heads looked up from paperwork and behind computer monitors. Olivia shrugged. "Let's get a drink."

Rollins looked to Carisi, who shrugged before looking at Fin, who was rising from his chair and grabbing his jacket. "Let's roll," he said, leading the way to the elevators.

…

"So what happens now?" Rollins asked, rolling her beer bottle along its bottom edge in front of her.

Olivia sighed, absently stirring her drink with a straw. "That's a good question. I don't know." She looked up and met each of her detective's eyes. "We'll need a new Sergeant, so it'll either come from within the unit," she looked pointedly at Fin and then Amanda, her senior detectives, "Or we'll get a Sergeant from another command. Either way, we get another new guy."

Somber nods surrounded the table.

"We'll figure it out," Fin offered. He was proving to be the pillar of strength for the squad. Olivia had taken Dodds' death exceptionally hard, but Rollins and Carisi had been affected tremendously as well. If Fin was hurting as bad as they all were, he was good at hiding it. "Carisi," Fin challenged. "Pool?"

Sonny nodded, took a swig of his beer, and got off his stool, following Fin to a billiards table and leaving Amanda and Olivia at the table.

"I signed up for the Sergeant's exam," Amanda shared, shyly avoiding eye contact with her Lieutenant and choosing to watch Fin and Carisi set up the pool table instead.

"Yeah?"

Finally, Amanda turned and met Olivia's eyes. "Yeah." She nodded. "I'm not sure if Fin is interested in it this time around, but," she shrugged, "I figured…Can't hurt, y'know?"

"It definitely can't," Olivia nodded, sipping her drink.

"So I guess we'll see if Tucker thinks I'm damaged goods like Nick was," Amanda said, resigned.

Olivia sighed, running her fingers through the condensation built up on the side of her glass. "It's a possibility, Amanda, I'm not going to lie…" Amanda nodded. "But, y'know… Ed's not actually IAB anymore, so…"

"What?"

A small smile adorned Olivia's face. "Today was his last day. He starts HNT a week."

Amanda was stunned. "Wow."

"That's what I said," Olivia huffed out a laugh.

"Did he do that for you?" Amanda asked curiously.

Olivia looked at her, "In a way, yeah, he did. But he also knew it was time. He was over it."

" _Cannot_ have been easy being on the rat squad for that many years…" Amanda took a swig of her beer. Her gaze fell back to Olivia, and she studied the Lieutenant's face. "You smile more."

"Sorry?" Olivia's eyebrows lifted and she turned her head toward Amanda, but kept her gaze at the table.

"You smile more," Amanda repeated. "With Tucker - Ed, I mean. You smile more." Amanda shrugged, cocking her head to the side. "So does he, for that matter."

The observation settled between them for a moment and they each sipped their drinks silently. Olivia found herself smiling at the awareness that Rollins was right. Ed had perfectly rounded out the little family she started with Noah; he was everything she didn't know she needed. And she knew their relationship brought out a side of him that not many knew existed.

It was like he'd said. They had a good thing going.

"I guess we just give each other more reasons to smile…" she replied simply.

Rollins clinked her bottle against Olivia's glass and raised it in a silent toast. "Good for you, Liv."

##

"So that's it, huh?"

Ed looked up from packing his desk into evidence boxes to find Draper leaning up against the doorframe of his office. He offered his now former partner a small smile.

"That's it," he nodded.

Ed pulled his keys out of his pocket and opened the bottom right drawer of his desk, lifting the velvet box and opening it.

Draper watched him scrutinize the contents of the small box. "You doing this for her?"

"Nah," Tucker shook his head. "Because of her," he clarified proudly.

Cole nodded, stepping into the office and sitting in a chair opposite Tucker's desk. He nodded at the velvet box that encased Olivia's ring. "You know, traditionally, when you buy something like that, you're supposed to actually _give it to the girl,"_ he said sarcastically.

"I am," Ed insisted, meeting Cole's eyes. "I was going to earlier, but then…Dodds…" He sighed, "I didn't want her to think that's why I was asking, y'know?"

Draper nodded. "How's she doing with all that?"

Ed sat down in his desk chair, linking his fingers together behind his head as he leaned back. "She's…better," he shrugged. "She still feels a lot of guilt, but she's working through it." Ed's eyes glazed over as he allowed himself to think about what would've happened if it had been her in that house with Munson instead of Dodds. "I can't imagine what I woulda done…"

"Good thing is, you don't have to," Draper said softly, knowing exactly what his longtime partner was thinking. He stood up, "Well, look, I'll leave you to it… Give Olivia my best." He reached out a hand and Ed shook it as he stood. "Don't be a stranger, Ed. We need to get our girls together every now and then, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll give ya a buzz sometime soon."

"Take care," Draper paused in the doorway, looking back over his shoulder. "Take care of Olivia, too, okay?"

Ed nodded assuredly, "You bet."

##

"The Mets are at home for an early game on Wednesday," Ed called to her from the bed as she brushed her teeth later that night. "I was thinking about taking Noah."

Olivia poked her head out of the bathroom and smiled at him. "You sure you're up for that?"

Ed shrugged. "Yeah, why not? He's gotta learn about the greatest sport ever played _some time_."

"I meant the part about the Mets," she joked, coming out of the bathroom to join him in bed. "I thought the Yankees were your team."

Ed cocked his head at her and grinned. "So he'll learn the basics on Wednesday, and as soon as I can get him to a Yankees game, they'll show him how it's _really_ done."

"I'll call Lucy and tell her to take Wednesday off," Olivia offered, rolling to her side and propping herself up on her elbow. "You're brave, you know." At his questioning look, she continued. "Taking a three year old to a baseball game on your own." She nodded, "Brave." Her words were serious, but there was humor in her eyes, and he smiled softly at her.

"I think we'll be okay," he replied. "Bribery was invented to appease little boys," he added drily.

She laughed, and he leaned over to her, finding her hand and lacing their fingers together. She, of course, knew nothing of his elaborate plan, how this outing with Noah would lay the groundwork for his proposal.

"I love your relationship with him," she said softly, gazing into his cool blue eyes. "Thank you for being there for him," she said sincerely. "For me, too."

"Liv…" She interrupted him with a gentle, but powerful kiss. When they broke, he was breathless, and he lowered his forehead so it was resting against hers. "You have no idea how happy I am that you made it out of that house."

"Me, too," she agreed. "I hate what the Chief is going through right now, but the thought of never seeing you or Noah again…" Her voice broke and he stopped her train of thought with another kiss. "Did I ever tell you what Lindstrom said to me that day I went to see him, right after the funeral?"

Ed shook his head no.

"He said it wasn't my time. It was Dodds'." She took a deep breath. "I don't understand it, but if everything happens the way it does for a reason, it must mean that my story isn't over yet."

"Well, that's good," Ed said, climbing over her until he was resting between her thighs. "Because I kinda think that ours is just beginning."

He leaned down to kiss her, and when they parted, so looked up at him with a smile, her eyebrow lifted. "That was poetic."

"Thank you," he kissed her again, and lifted himself so he could look in her eyes. "That spark is coming back," he observed. "That _Olivia Margaret Benson_ spark." She smiled, running her hands up and down his sides. He liked to middle name her. She couldn't really say she minded.

"Because of you," she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss, rocking her hips up into his so he'd get the message that conversation time was effectively over.

##

The day of the game rolled around and Tucker approached Citi Field with an excited Noah perched on his shoulders, his small hands framing Ed's face.

The day before, Ed had patronized a sporting goods store and grudgingly purchased Mets gear, so they were both appropriately decked out in support for the home team. Ed had even gotten a toddler-sized hat for the munchkin.

Ed was hit with a wave of nostalgia as he handed their tickets to be scanned and he held tight to Noah's leg as the young boy pointed excitedly at each new bit of stimuli that crossed his field of vision.

Ed saw Mr. Met on the concourse ahead, and he tilted his head up to look at Noah's face. "Want a picture with the mascot, bud?"

Noah squirmed on Ed's shoulders as he yelled _mastot_ excitedly.

"Let's take a picture with Mr. Met and send it to mommy."

It was still early, plenty of time before the game was going to start, so Mr. Met hadn't attracted too large of a crowd yet. Ed walked up to him easily, and Mr. Met crouched down so all three of their faces were easily visible in the frame of the photo when Ed turned his phone to selfie mode. Or rather, Ed and Noah were visible and you could make out the face painted on the giant baseball.

He sent the picture off to Olivia with the caption: _I'll make a baseball fan of him yet. Love you._

Her reply came almost instantly: _Give my sweet boy a kiss for me! Have fun. Love you too._

Their seats were off the 3rd base line, and he instructed Noah to always pay attention to the game just in case someone hit a ball in their direction. The warning was more for safety than anything else, but he bought Noah a toddler mitt and he knew the kid was dying to use it.

He did the whole peanuts-and-cracker-jacks thing, introducing Noah the sport that was closer to a religion in his house growing up than any actual religion ever was… He could still remember walking into Yankee games with his own father; it was a past time that they shared until he passed away.

Now, it was something he could share with Noah.

The iconic "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" song came on the sound system, and Ed took a short video of Noah attempting to sing along, sending that to Olivia, as well.

The game started and it didn't even take one out into the first inning for Noah to get swept into the electricity of it all. Not necessarily the sport – even Ed could admit that baseball could be slow; but the crowd… He would giggle when one of the diehard fans would yell at the ump, cheer when one of their guys made a good play in the outfield… And the first time the ump called a runner safe, Noah was obsessed with the hand signal. He stood between Ed's parted legs, imitating the gesture, yelling _SAFE_ with a look of deep concentration on his face.

"Is this his first game?"

Ed looked toward a younger guy with a couple of small kids of his own a few seats down from them.

"Yeah," Ed affectionately adjusted Noah's baseball cap and smiled at the stranger down the row. "Gotta start 'em early, right?"

The guy laughed. "You bet. These two," he gestured to his daughters, both a little older than Noah, "they've been coming to games with me about as long as they've been walking."

"That's how it was when I was growing up," Ed nodded, remembering his childhood fondly.

The guy jutted his chin out at Noah. "He your only one?"

Ed looked down. Noah had his hands on either of Ed's knees and was doing an awkward jig with his feet, fidgeting between Ed's thighs. His attention was fixed on the field, where one of the coaches was having a pow-wow with the pitcher on the mound. Noah threw his hands up in frustration and shouted, "C'mon, play ball!"

Ed immediately busted out laughing, along with a few other fans close enough to hear.

"So far," he smiled.

…

This was why he didn't go to Mets games.

Innings-wise, the game still had three to go. But if you looked at the score, it'd been over since the top of the 3rd. Marlins were up 5-0 and the mitt that Ed had bought Noah was cast aside to a neighboring seat when it became apparent that nothing the Mets were hitting was going to make it to where they were sitting today.

"You ready, kiddo?" Ed adjusted his cap and lifted Noah to sit on his thigh.

"Game not over yet, Daddy," Noah whined.

 _Oh, it's over all right_.

"I'll take you to another one soon, okay? Let's go get some ice cream."

Noah's eyes lit up. The ice cream had been a cheap shot – Noah would agree to do almost anything if there was a promise of ice cream.

But this had been Ed's plan all along, regardless of the game. Wanting to spend time with Noah one-on-one before broaching one of the most important questions he would ever ask anyone.

And though he knew it was likely that Noah wouldn't really understand what he was trying to say, he wanted to make sure the boy was included in the conversation, and that how he felt mattered.

They're a packaged deal, even if Noah didn't know what that meant.

##

"Hey bud," Ed started, watching with amusement as Noah dug into the sundae he'd purchased for the two of them to share. "You know how Aunt Heather and Uncle Ben are Jackson's mommy and daddy?"

He was diving in headfirst.

Noah nodded. "Uh-huh."

"And you know how Aunt Heather and Uncle Ben are a mommy-daddy team?"

"Like you and mommy," Noah shrugged almost dismissively, as if he didn't understand why Ed felt the need to tell him something he already knew.

Ed smiled. "Sort of. Your mommy and I aren't married like they are." _Yet._ Noah looked at him blankly before turning his attention back to the sundae. "Do you know what being married means?"

Noah looked at him curiously before shaking his head _no._

Ed sighed, thinking carefully for a moment before diving into this explanation, wanting to make sure it was as clear as possible for Noah's young mind to wrap around.

"It means that two people stand up in front of all their friends and family and promise to love each other forever, no matter what."

Obviously, this was a very basic definition. Being married didn't always equate to a ceremony like what he described. He wouldn't be at all surprised – or disappointed – if all Olivia wanted was a courthouse wedding. As long as, at the end of the day, he could say she was his wife, he didn't care how it happened or who was there.

Not to mention, it wasn't enough just to love someone. Marrying them meant, among other things, always fighting for them, even in the hard times… And with the road they'd had getting to this point, he knew they'd already conquered that a few times – what was a few more over the course of a lifetime?

"You marry mommy?"

"I'd like to," Ed answered honestly. "Do you think you'd be okay with that, bud? It means I'd be your daddy forever. If I marry your mommy, it means I'm kinda marrying you, too, kiddo."

Noah twirled his spoon in the melting ice cream. He shrugged, "Okay."

Ed chuckled. It wasn't quite the enthusiasm he was hoping for, but Noah wasn't kicking and screaming in objection, so he'd take it. "Do you want to see the ring?"

"Ring?" Noah asked, confused again.

"Yeah," Ed reached into his pocket. "When I ask her, if she says yes, I'm going to give her a ring, and everyone will know that we are going to get married."

"I get a ring, too?"

"I can get you one, too, if you want." Ed assured him with a smile. "D'you want to see the one I got your mom?"

Noah nodded and Ed pulled out the box, opened it up, and held it in front of Noah. His eyes went wide as saucers. "Pretty," he breathed.

Ed tilted the box back toward himself, and he could see the inscription that he'd gotten engraved along the inner part of the band. "I know, bud." He left the box open on the table between them. "So what do you say, kiddo? Think it's alright if I marry your mommy?"

This time, Ed got more of the reaction he was hoping for, when Noah threw both fists in the air and shouted, "Yes!"

"Good," Ed laughed. "Now, do you think you can keep this a secret, man-to-man? Just daddy and Noah?" He gave the boy a serious, but loving stare that Noah returned, nodding assuredly.

He whispered dramatically to Ed. "It's a sepret. I keep sepret."

Ed ruffled Noah's hair. "Good job, bud."

##

"Honey, we're home," Ed called in jest as he opened the door, ushering Noah into the apartment first as he hung their jackets at the coat rack. "What smells so good?"

"Hey," Olivia called out from her position at the stove. "I'm making stew."

"Mommy!" Noah ran to the kitchen, tackling Olivia's lower legs.

She propped her wooden spoon on the pot and turned, picking Noah up and settling him on her hip as she rained kisses all over his face. She held tighter to him as he squirmed in her grasp. "And how is my sweet boy?" she cooed.

"We got ice creams," Noah shared.

Olivia looked at Ed with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "It was a while ago," Ed explained, smiling guiltily. "And we walked most of the way back to burn it off."

"It's okay; he won't eat the stew anyway. I've got something in the oven for him," she kissed Noah once more before putting him back on the ground, smacking his butt playfully as he ran away.

"My turn," Ed said huskily as he walked into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her softly. "Hi."

"Hi yourself," she smiled at him, kissing him back. "How was the game?"

Ed shrugged dismissively, "Mets suck."

She snorted a laugh, "I'm sorry."

"It was no surprise. I think he liked the baseball part of it, though," he pulled her into him a little tighter and shifted so they could both watch Noah play with his toys in the living room. "We'll go see a Yankees game when they're in town."

"I'm sure he'll enjoy that," Olivia smiled. "Thank you for taking him today. That video was hilarious."

He laughed, nodding in acknowledgement at the video. "One of these days you'll stop thanking me for things like this," Ed replied wryly. "I love spending time with him, Liv." He leaned over the pot on the stove, using the wooden spoon to fish out a piece of carrot to sample. "Mm, this is so good, babe." She muttered a shy _thank you_ and Ed replaced the spoon. "How was your day?"

She sighed. "Not bad. Getting back into the swing of things. There's still a fog over the squad room."

She thought about mentioning Rollins taking the Sergeant's exam and soliciting some off-the-record advice from him, but decided against it for now, wanting to leave the NYPD outside the apartment as much as possible tonight.

He kissed her forehead and ran his hands quickly up and down her upper arms. "It'll probably be that way a while, unfortunately. It'll get better." She nodded and kissed him sweetly. "Have you looked up anything you want to see in Paris?"

"A little," she smiled. "About that…" He looked at her cautiously and she could see his body tense up. "No, it's nothing bad… I just – I know I said the next trip we took would just be us…"

Ed shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Forget it. He's coming with us." Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. "Plus… _I_ am taking _you_ on this trip, so it doesn't count toward that promise you made me," he winked at her and she laughed.

"Fair enough," she wrapped her arms around his neck. "So the next trip _I_ take _you_ on will be Noah-less," she confirmed. "You know, that's probably going to be awhile… Paris isn't going to be cheap—"

Ed cut her off with a kiss, moving his lips over hers for a few seconds before pulling away. "Doesn't matter. Whenever. I just want to get us all away from here for a bit, to hit the reset button, y'know?"

"Mm," Olivia nodded. "Thank you, Ed," she whispered.

"For what?"

"Being here," she said simply. "Being you. I don't know that I would've made it through any of the past couple of weeks without you."

It was not lost on either of them the gravity of her statement. He'd been surprised in the hospital when she hadn't tried to dismiss him with her normal "I'm fine" party line. Rather, she accepted his comfort, she leaned into him when she needed to, and she did so unabashedly.

"You've never needed anyone before," he said softly.

She placed a lingering kiss on his lips, her eyes boring into his. " _You're_ the only one I'll ever need."

##

Noah woke up early the next morning, and when Olivia felt his small hands on her face, she opened one eye and smiled at him.

Glancing at the clock and seeing it was just past 5:00am, she whispered, "What are you doing awake, my love?" She reached out a hand and rubbed what he called the _sleepies_ out of his eyes.

"Out of sleep, mommy." She needed to publish a book of Noah-isms like this one.

He moved to climb onto the bed next to her and she wrapped an arm around his small waist, hoisting him up and rolling him over her to settle in the space between her and Ed, who was still sleeping soundly. She turned onto her side to face them and Noah curled himself into her chest.

She pressed her lips to his forehead and stroked his face before letting her hand rub his belly soothingly. "Did you have a good time at the game yesterday, baby?"

He nodded. "I tried to catch the ball," he told her.

"Oh yeah? I bet you came really close."

"And then Daddy bought me ice creams and he told me a sepret," Noah spoke quietly.

"A secret?" Olivia smiled at him, glancing over at Ed and finding that he was still asleep.

Noah nodded, beaming with pride. "Man to man."

Olivia smiled, her heart swelling at the affection in Noah's face for Ed. She had been nervous about dating with Noah, but Ed had squashed any concerns she may have had almost from day one with how quickly he and Noah took to each other.

"Well, if Daddy made you promise not to tell, it must be pretty important," she reasoned, winking at him.

"He give me a ring," he whispered dramatically, which meant that he wasn't really whispering at all.

Olivia looked at Ed again. There was no movement from his side of the bed. "A ring?"

Noah nodded vigorously. "He want to marry us."

Olivia stopped breathing momentarily, her eyebrows lifting as she looked from Noah to Ed, who's eyes were still shut, his torso rising and falling steadily as he breathed deeply in sleep.

As Noah watched the realization flash across his mom's face, his hands flew up to cover his mouth; his eyes alight with amusement at his unintentional slip-up.

"Whoopsie!"

##

 **A/N: I know, I know… There was a small part of me that didn't want to end it here because I don't want to be hunted… but I'm maxed out for the moment and need to regroup before writing the big** _ **proposal**_ **. Don't hate me. Or, do. But either way, tell me about it. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks for the great feedback on the last chapter… Here's the conclusion to the proposal. I'm nervous about this, hoping to all that is Holy that it doesn't suck. My apologies if it's OOC and if there are any glaring mistakes that I missed in my haste to get this posted. Thanks to Pat for helping me with the beginning! Becka – keep an eye out in the next chapter for you-know-what. :)**

 **So, here's where we left off:**

 _Noah nodded vigorously. "He want to marry us."_

 _Olivia stopped breathing momentarily, her eyebrows lifting as she looked from Noah to Ed, who's eyes were still shut, his torso rising and falling steadily as he breathed deeply in sleep._

 _As Noah watched the realization flash across his mom's face, his hands flew up to cover his mouth; his eyes alight with amusement at his unintentional slip-up._

" _Whoopsie!"_

 **Enjoy!**

 **##**

Seconds ticked by and it felt hours before Noah's voice broke Olivia's reverie, forcing her eyes from Ed's still slumbering body back to her little boy's.

"I broke the sepret, Mommy," Noah stage-whispered, his eyes widening as fear took over the amusement he felt just moments before.

She gave him a small smile before stealthily moving out of the bed, lifting him and taking him with her out to the living room, closing the bedroom door behind them.

"I in trouble?" Olivia heard the trepidation in his small voice and she smiled warmly at him, burying her face in his hair and kissing his face all over.

"No, my love. You're not in trouble," she assured him. "Daddy's still sleeping, baby." She tapped his nose with her finger. "And you should be asleep, too."

She settled on the couch with Noah, turning on the TV to re-runs of an old sitcom from when she was a kid. She rubbed his back rhythmically until she could feel his breathing even out and his weight settled more fully against her, signaling that he had fallen back to sleep.

Ed wanted to marry her.

No, marry them.

That was how Noah had put it.

Ed had actually gone through the effort of talking to her three year old about this before broaching the subject with her - a move that was equal parts incredibly brave (this morning being exhibit A), and incredibly sweet.

Marriage.

She ran her fingers through Noah's hair as she thought about the concept. For the longest time, she didn't anticipate ever getting married. Like motherhood, she figured the door for that major life change had closed. She'd gotten used to being alone.

And then the things she'd long ago written off started happening for her. Noah came along and made her a mother, giving her something to live for other than her job.

Then, there was Ed…

She rested her chin on the top of Noah's head, running her fingers across the knuckles of his small hand.

Noah seemed to have fallen in love with Ed just as hard and fast as she had and even now, just thinking about their relationship, it brought tears to her eyes to know that Noah would always have that father figure - something that she herself had never had.

And he wanted to marry her.

##

She heard his footsteps as he padded toward the couch and her heart started hammering in her chest; she was unsure how she wanted to approach this:

Let him know Noah spilled the beans and essentially force him into action?

Or…

Pretend to know nothing and feign surprise when he finally asked?

How long was he planning to force Noah into secret keeping before he finally popped the question? How long would she have to play ignorant?

"What are you guys doing up?" Ed's voice was scratchy with sleep.

Olivia leaned forward, giving him room to slide in behind her on the couch. She settled back against him and resumed her ministrations on Noah's back. "This one was up super early this morning and was pretty chatty," she smiled to herself; he couldn't see her face, so he wouldn't be able to tell she was holding back. "I came out here with him so we wouldn't wake you up."

Ed hummed in acknowledgement, leaning forward so his nose was nuzzling the skin behind her ear. That spot, the dangerous one. She tilted her head to give him better access and felt her breathing quicken as his warm breath and soft lips grazed her skin.

"Ed…" she sighed, reaching an open hand out to him, which he accepted and interlaced their fingers together.

"Hmm?"

"Noah…" she reminded him, gently.

She felt his chest expand behind her as he took a deep, steadying breath. "Right," he said. "Sorry."

She turned her head back to him, puckering her lips for a soft kiss and smiling when he obliged her. "Sleep good?"

He kissed her temple. "Yep." Resting his chin against her shoulder, he took another deep breath. "Look, Liv, about what he said earlier…"

"So you _did_ hear him…" she deduced, turning herself so she could face him.

He nodded, smiling slightly as he rubbed her free hand between both of his. "I did."

She chuckled. "I thought I saw your lip twitch," she said accusingly.

"My lip did no such thing," he denied. After a moment, he added, "I kind of wanted to see how you were going to react."

As secure as he felt in their relationship, a part of him was expecting her to freak out a little more than she currently was. Not because she didn't want to be with him, per se, but because marriage was…big. And it was something she'd never done before – had only come close to doing once, a long time ago, and even then it wasn't about the idea of marriage. It was an escape.

But, to his surprise, she was cool and calm in the face of potentially making one of the biggest commitments a person could make, other than raising a child. She seemed almost unfazed, expectant, even. So, Ed reached into the pocket of his pajama pants and pulled out that velvet box, opening it up and looking at it briefly before turning it around so she could see. He looked at her determinedly, "I'm going to do this now."

She gasped. "It's…beautiful."

"I got it in Martha's Vineyard," he admitted, watching as her tear-filled eyes flitted between his and the ring. "I wasn't even planning to. Just, walked by this jewelry store and... Something told me to buy it. So," he shrugged, "I did."

"You usually don't believe in that stuff," she observed with a wry smile.

"I didn't believe in a lot of things before you," he reminded. He set the velvet box on the couch between them and took her hand in his again. He grinned at her. "I could say that I knew from the minute I saw you that we'd be here eventually, but you and I both know that's a lie," he started, and she couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped her. "But, I wouldn't change a thing in our history, because I don't think we'd be _us_ without it."

"I agree," she said softly, shifting her hand in his grasp so she could rub her thumb along his knuckles.

"And now that we're together," he continued, "now that we've finally gotten _here_ … I don't ever want to let you go, Liv. Either of you," he gestured to Noah, who was slowly coming out of sleep, blinking hazily in Olivia's lap. "Hey, bud."

Registering Ed's presence, Noah recalled the events of the morning and looked near tears once again. "I broke the sepret, Daddy," Noah said shamefully, burrowing his head into Olivia's chest.

"Hey, it's okay, Little Man." Ed touched Noah's cheek, coaxing him out from his hiding place. "This is even better than I could have planned it, Noah. You helped me."

"I helpt?"

"Sure did, bud," Ed leaned forward on his knees to kiss Noah on his forehead.

Olivia watched this exchange with teary eyes, hugging Noah closer to her as Ed pulled back again, turning his attention back to her.

"You and Noah are the best things that have ever happened to me," he professed, his voice cracking from the remnants of sleep and emotion caught in his throat. "I feel like we're a family already, Liv."

A tear spilled over onto Olivia's cheek as she smiled at him and whispered, "We are."

Ed held her gaze and took a deep breath. "So, marry me?"

Hearing the words overwhelmed her and her eyes slipped shut as she let them wash over her. She took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth as she opened her eyes again, smiling at the hopeful apprehension on Ed's face.

She turned to Noah, holding him slightly away from her so she could look in his eyes.

"What do you think, my love? Should we marry Daddy?" She winked at Ed as they waited for Noah's reply. He grasped his chin in his hand and to illustrate his thinking about it, and Olivia briefly wondered where he learned that trick.

Finally, he nodded vigorously. "Noah get a ring!"

Olivia laughed, turning her attention back to Ed and reaching a hand out to grasp his cheek, pulling him toward her. She whispered, "Yes, I'll marry you. _We'll_ marry you," against his lips before giving him a lingering kiss, pulling his bottom lip between hers as she pulled away.

He moved his lips to her temple and whispered, "I guess I have to get him a ring now," smiling at her responding laughter. "And speaking of rings…" He reached down between them and pulled the ring from its encasement.

"It really is beautiful, Ed," she marveled.

"Not another one like it in the world," he told her, matter-of-factly. She leaned forward and captured his lips again, this time tilting her head to change the angle, deepening the kiss. Noah made a noise of amused disgust and she felt Ed's lips curve into a small smile against hers while she used her free hand to cover Noah's eyes. She delved her tongue into Ed's mouth for a brief taste of him before pulling away. He held the ring up to her. "Look at the inscription," he muttered softly, proudly.

She tilted the band away from her and felt tears spring to her eyes again as she read the script emblazoned on the white gold.

" _Always_ ," she read. "It's perfect." She gave him a tight smile, trying to rein in her emotions as he took the ring from her, sliding it onto her left ring finger with shaking hands.

##

They had plans to go out with Heather and Ben that evening, but heavy downpours quelled any interest they had in meandering the city, so instead, they opted for a night in at Heather and Ben's place.

The second they walked into their friends' apartment, Heather's razor sharp vision had zeroed in on the diamond catching the light on Olivia's left hand. She snatched Olivia's hand and held it close to her face, scrutinizing the ring even more closely than the person Ed had gotten to appraise it for insurance purposes.

"Holy shit, Ed!" Heather exclaimed, temporarily forgetting about Noah and Jackson nearby. Olivia laughed. "You did good," she said, impressed, giving Olivia her hand back.

Ed wrapped his arm around Olivia's waist, kissing the top of her head when she leaned into him. "Thanks," he said.

Ben walked up, giving Olivia's hand a cursory inspection before kissing her cheek and congratulating the newly engaged couple. "That's the one you got at the Vineyard, right?" he asked Ed.

Before Ed had a chance to respond, Heather elbowed her husband in the ribs. "You _knew_ about this?" She glared at him and Ed and Olivia glanced at each other amusedly out of the corners of their eyes. "And you didn't tell me?"

Ben held his hands up in surrender, backing away from Heather in fear. "I was sworn to secrecy, babe. I didn't mean to know about it… I was just _there._ "

…

After dinner, the boys were occupied with a movie in the living room and the adults retired to the covered terrace, nursing drinks as they watched the rain slow to a drizzle over Manhattan. Heather and Ben sat at a small bistro set, while Olivia was nestled against Ed's chest, sitting in the V created by his spread legs on a chaise lounge.

"So when's the wedding?" Heather asked. Her tone was innocent, but no one missed the mischievous glint in her eye.

Olivia chuckled, shaking her head against the inquisition. "We haven't even been engaged for twenty four hours, Heather. I don't know anything yet."

"But you know who your Maid of Honor is going to be, right?" Heather raised an eyebrow and looked at Olivia pointedly.

Arms out in surrender, Olivia cried, "I plead the fifth."

"You can't plead the fifth! You _have_ to make a decision!"

"Easy, honey," Ben said, putting a hand on his wife's forearm to draw her intensity back a notch or two.

"Feel free to jump in here at any time," Olivia muttered to Ed out of the side of her mouth.

He rubbed her upper arms and teased her, "I don't know… Seems like you've got her handled."

"There is no such thing as _handled_ with this girl," Olivia reminded him with a small laugh. She leaned further into him, closing her eyes and covering his arms with her own when they wrapped around her waist. "You're comfy," she whispered.

She felt rather than heard his hummed response as it reverberated against her back and she turned her head to press her lips to his jaw.

"Do you two need a minute?" Heather asked mockingly, a grin plastered across her face.

##

"Finally!" Heather cried, moving to sit on the edge of the chaise lounge after Ed and Ben went inside to check out a new piece of Yankees memorabilia that Ben had just gotten delivered that week. His office was decked out in Yankees gear and every time they came here, Ed always spent a chunk of the evening holed away with Ben, ogling at the merchandise with envy. "I need to know everything," she said seriously.

Olivia smiled shyly, rolling the ring around her finger as she relived this morning. "I don't even know where to start…"

"Well, did he get on one knee?"

"No, he didn't." Heather looked like she was about to find Ed and hurt him, so Olivia added quickly, "I'm glad he didn't though – that would have been too traditional. That's not our style."

Heather relented. "Okay, fair enough." Impatiently, she added, "Keep going!"

Olivia told her about how Ed had asked Noah's permission the night before and told him to keep it a secret just between them. About how, naturally, Noah had spilled the beans, but it led to the sweetest moment between the three of them this morning.

"Everything about it was great," Olivia shared, "But I thought the extra effort he went through to make Noah a part of it was really sweet. This affects him as much as it does us."

Heather smiled warmly. "That little boy has the two of you wrapped around his little finger."

"He does…" Olivia confirmed, stealing a glance at her young son through the French doors leading into the family room.

"So," Heather started, more calmly than before, "have you thought _at all_ about how you want to do this? When? Where?"

"I'm still adjusting to the ring on my finger and the fact that I have a _fiancé._ " Olivia chuckled. "One thing at a time…"

"You're happy, though, right?" Heather looked slightly panicked. "This is what you want?"

Olivia didn't hesitate, " _Of course_ I'm happy. This is everything I've ever wanted, Heather…" She wiped at her eyes, trying to tamp down the tears before they got going beyond her control. "I just can't believe I finally have it," she chuckled.

Heather smiled, "I'm happy for you, Liv. For both of you. All of you."

Olivia opened her arms to her friend, and Heather drifted into them happily, squeezing Olivia tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

Heather squeezed a little tighter in acknowledgement. She waited a beat, and then whispered hopefully into Olivia's ear, "Can I plan the wedding?"

Olivia chuckled, patting Heather on the back. "We'll talk about it…."

Pulling back, Heather winked. "That's all I'm asking."

##

Olivia's hands were splayed along his ribs, her nails digging into his skin more and more with every measured thrust his body made into her.

Their breaths were coming out in labored pants in the throes of what was, by far, the most emotionally intense lovemaking session they'd ever had. Their eyes remained locked on each other, every thought and feeling being communicated despite not a word being uttered between them.

When Olivia breathed his name, he leaned down and captured her lips to silence her, and she bit her lip in an effort to remain quiet thereafter.

He could see in her eyes that she was getting close, so he reached for her hands, removing them from his sides. He interlaced her right hand with his left and pinned it above her head, bringing her left hand to his lips and kissing her ring finger, eventually moving that hand above her head as well.

His hips moved more vigorously against hers and the small moans that were punctuating his every thrust signaled to him that Olivia was hurtling toward her oblivion.

Finally, her body arched into his and her eyes squeezed shut, her face contorted in what looked like painful pleasure as her release hit. Her body shook violently beneath him from the force of a powerful orgasm, and with the way her body was squeezing him, he was left with no choice but to follow her.

As they came down from their highs, he peppered her face with kisses and, having regained the use of her muscles, she ran her hand up and down his back.

"Where the hell did that come from?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

He carefully slipped out of her, falling to her side and tangling their legs together. He pushed a few sweat-matted strands of hair off of her forehead as she turned to face him. "We're getting married," he replied simply, his eyes running over every inch of her face.

She smiled, leaning over to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "We are," she nodded.

"I can't believe we're here," he said, bewildered.

"Me neither," she agreed. "But I'm glad we are." She looked at her ring again. "Could you ever have imagined years ago that we'd be getting _married_?"

He chuckled, "You mean when I arrested you?"

"Yeah, somewhere around then," she rolled her eyes playfully. Her face wore an expression of humor, but his turned serious, and he breathed her name. "What is it?"

"Just…thank you," he started. "For being open to the idea of us, after everything…"

"We've talked about this, Ed. Let's leave the past in the past," she caressed his face. "All that matters now is that we're here." She kissed him, and then emphasized, "We got here."

He looked at her, and the pure unadulterated adoration she could see in his eyes was sobering, stifling even.

"I love you," he whispered.

"And I love you."

##

"So is it too soon to start thinking about wedding plans?" Ed asked casually over breakfast the next morning while Noah was occupied with his cartoons.

Olivia's eyebrows lifted in surprise and her arm stopped halfway to her mouth with a freshly schmeared bagel. "Really?"

His shoulder lifted in an innocent half-shrug. "Yeah. I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he explained, causing instant butterflies to erupt in her stomach. "I'm a little anxious for that to start."

She smiled warmly at him, "Okay." She reached a hand out to touch his cheek and gave him a peck on the lips. "I'm anxious, too."

"So, let's plan," Ed offered. He scooped a helping of cereal onto his spoon. "Small wedding or big wedding?"

"Definitely small," Olivia decreed. "Neither of us have big families…. Just close coworkers and close friends?"

"That sounds good," Ed agreed. He raised his eyebrows. "Courthouse?"

Olivia looked up, thinking about the implication before scrunching her nose in disgust. "No courthouse. We can do better than that."

He smiled. "Okay. No courthouse."

"I'd say we could do a destination wedding. I've seen some incredible packages in places like St. Lucia... but if we do that, my squad definitely won't be able to go." She sounded disappointed, and she would be if they couldn't' be a part of their big day. The squad was basically extended family at this point. "I don't know about Cole..."

"That's a fair point," Ed conceded. "Plus, with Paris…"

Olivia's eyes widened. "Oh, right! How does Paris fit into this? Honeymoon?"

Ed winced. "With Noah?" He shook his head in the negative. "We still do Paris, with Noah, pre-wedding."

Olivia thought about this. "This is all starting to sound very expensive," she cautioned.

"When was the last time you went on vacation?" he countered. She thought about the trip to the Bahamas that she took with Brian… nearly four years ago. Ed could read her thoughts like they were written in front of him. "Exactly," he said. "And when was the last time you got married?"

Olivia cocked her head at him, grinning. "Okay," she surrendered. "You win."

He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. "Can I get that in writing?"

She kicked him under the table and smiled victoriously when his hand traveled down to soothe his shin.

Moving on, Olivia thought out loud. "So we'll have to find a small venue… And pick a date." She looked at him pointedly. The venue they could figure out later; but the date seemed like as good a starting point for all this planning as anything.

"It's June now… How long do you want to wait?"

Olivia leaned back in her chair, looking blankly toward the windows as she pondered. There was no need for a long engagement at their age, especially not given their current dynamic. All of this was just a formality at this point, making them legally what their hearts told them they already were; but she still wanted to do it justice, and that needed at least a little bit of planning.

Summer was too hot - she and her guests would be uncomfortable if they did anything outdoors. Winter was a long way away - and too cold.

"How do you feel about October?" she suggested. Four months - plenty of time to find a small venue, figure out logistics such as guest list and catering, find a dress… And it was situated nicely between the suffocating heat of summer and the frigidity of winter. They may get a fluke snowstorm, but if they played their cards right, leaves might be changing and it would make for some gorgeous wedding photos.

"October," Ed repeated, testing the word out on his tongue. "I like it."

Excited to be making some sort of headway, Olivia grabbed her phone and opened her calendar app, looking at the options available. "The 29th is too ugly," she mused.

Ed chuckled. "Too ugly?"

"Yes. Twenty-nine an ugly number," she was matter-of-fact, as if she didn't understand how Ed could be amused at her proclamation.

"How about the 22nd?"

Olivia grimaced. "Too…even."

"Do I want to know where you're getting this?"

Smiling, Olivia went back to her calendar. "Probably not," she replied dismissively. "The 15th," she said. "October 15th. What do you think about that?"

He smiled warmly at her. "Sounds like a good day to get married."

##

On Monday, she walked into the squad room in a better mood than she'd been in since Dodds' death. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel weighted down by grief. Instead, she felt lifted.

Happy.

She was not one for attention, so she didn't flaunt her new jewelry, but she wasn't hiding it either.

"Hey Lieu," Carisi greeted her.

"Good morning," she replied, walking into her office and hanging her coat on the rack. "Any new cases come in?"

He shook his head, leaning against the doorway of her office. "Nah. I don't wanna jinx it, but…"

"Then don't," Olivia interrupted with a smile.

"Right, right," he acquiesced. She felt his eyes on her as she powered up her laptop. "Lieu…"

"Something wrong?" she glanced at him.

"There's something different…" He looked at her curiously. "Did you get a haircut?"

She huffed a laugh. "No, I didn't."

"Hey, Liv," Fin greeted, as he joined the party in her office. Immediately, his eyes widened as they were drawn to her ring, "Whoa, that's some ice…" he gestured toward her left hand and Carisi clapped.

"That's it!"

"Baby girl has only ever worn one ring - on her right hand - and you can't figure out she's wearing a diamond? On _that_ finger?" Fin teased Carisi. "What kind of detective are you?"

Carisi opened his mouth to argue, but was interrupted.

"Hey guys," Amanda called from the squad room. "We catch anything?"

"Nah," Fin replied dismissively. "C'mere, though. Liv is engaged!" Olivia couldn't help but smile at the way his eyebrows raised and his pinkies lifted in the air when he said that word.

Engaged.

To be married.

To Ed Tucker.

Suffice it to say she was still pinching herself. The previous weekend felt, in a lot of ways, like a dream that she had yet to wake up from.

"Holy shit, Liv!" Amanda came barreling into her office, making a beeline for her Lieutenant's left hand as she turned it this way and that, scrutinizing the antique ring at every angle. "This is beautiful. Congratulations," she said warmly.

"Thanks, Rollins," Olivia replied with a smile.

"Drinks later tonight to celebrate?" Carisi suggested.

Amidst the chorus of agreement from Fin and Amanda, Olivia jumped in, "Actually, I can't do tonight…" Her squad let out disappointed groans. "But how about you all come over for brunch this weekend instead?"

"—Sounds good—"

"—I'm down—"

"—Can I bring anything? —"

"Okay," she said, restoring order. "We'll work out details later. For now," she smiled sweetly, "Back to work."

Carisi and Rollins muttered tongue-in-cheek _yes ma'am_ s and Fin made sure he was the last one to leave her office.

"So, we gon' have to start calling you Tucker, now, too?"

##

Olivia made it a point to get home for bath time that night, and she smiled as Noah played with his tub toys.

"Mommy?" His arms stilled in the water and the boat he was playing with gently floated away.

"Yes, baby?"

"You and Daddy married now?"

She smiled, running her fingers through his wet hair. "Not yet, my love."

He quirked his head in confusion, "Why? He want to marry us."

"And he will," she said simply. "The ring that Daddy gave Mommy is a promise to get married."

"Have to wait?"

She was amazed at his astuteness, her bright, beautiful boy. "Kind of," she hedged. "See, baby, getting married is like a party… We have to find a place to have the party, and we have to invite all of our friends so they can watch us promise to love each other forever."

"And Noah, too?"

"We will love Noah forever, too," Ed replied. Hearing his voice so suddenly made her jump, and she leaned into his touch when he rubbed his hand soothingly along her back.

"Hey," she whispered to Ed as he crouched down beside her next to the tub.

He leaned in and kissed her softly, suckling on her lower lip before he pulled away. "Hi."

Noah playfully covered his eyes and giggled as they kissed, separating his fingers slightly so he could watch them through the gaps.

"What are you doing, silly?" Ed reached into the water, tickling Noah's neck as the boy thrashed around, managing to splash Olivia a little bit in the process.

"Okay, wild ones," she warned, using Noah's towel to dry herself off. "Time for one little guy to get into bed…"

Ed lifted Noah out of the water and set him on the bathmat while Olivia wrapped the towel around him, overzealously drying his hair to make him giggle. That sound filled her whole heart.

"You know what you're going to wear when we get married?" Olivia asked him as she pulled on his pajamas. He shook his head. "You're going to wear a suit," she told him.

Initially, he didn't seem to like the idea, but Ed chimed in, "Just like me, bud. We'll match," and Noah smiled agreeably. "And if you're really careful," Ed added, leaning in close to Noah, "I'll let you hold the rings for us before the ceremony."

Noah's eyes widened and Olivia smiled at how seriously he was taking the proposition of being trusted with that much responsibility. In his mind, this meant he'd be carrying the rings until they got married, and she could see him mentally plotting which toys he was going to hide them in for safe-keeping until the big day.

In reality, though, he'd be holding them for a matter of minutes.

"I hold the rings?" Noah breathed.

"That's what the best man does, kiddo," Ed replied, looking at Olivia who was smiling at him over Noah's head. "You're my best man, right?"

Noah looked from Ed to Olivia, seeking confirmation, thoroughly confused by all of these new events and new concepts being introduced to him. Olivia smiled encouragingly, lacing her fingers through Ed's in a silent thank you for this whole conversation that was occurring in front of her. For accepting her son, loving him.

"I the best man," Noah nodded determinedly.

##

 **A/N: Thanks for bearing with me through this. Hopefully it didn't disappoint… Next up: house party! I think Heather meeting the squad is a good idea, don't you? :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Fourteen chapters! Unreal! I think the only thing I've made a longer commitment to is my breakfast cereal… Thank you guys so much for waiting for this chapter & keeping up with the story. I hope to God y'all are not disappointed with Heather's parts in this. It's hard making her funny! To the Twitter girls: keep an eye out. It won't be hard to find. :)**

 **Mistakes are purely mine. I was in a hurry to get this posted. Anything glaring, send me a PM and I'll fix it!**

 **##**

Olivia walked back into her office from the restroom, having redone her makeup and changed in preparation for the evening Ed had planned for her. Surprisingly her hair had held the slight curl she'd shaped it into this morning.

He'd refused to tell her where he was taking her, only telling her to dress up. So she did, opting to wear a red, cap-sleeved floral cocktail dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.

"Wow." She heard his rasp coming from the couch in the corner and she turned to him, smiling as she recalled that day he told her to sign up for the lieutenant's exam, when their romance was in its infancy.

"You like?" She raised a flirtatious brow as she gathered her black clutch from the desk, stepping toward him as he rose from the couch to wrap his arms around her waist.

"I do," he affirmed, leaning down to kiss her lips softly.

"Wanna tell me where we're going tonight?" Her voice was husky and it took every ounce of restraint in him not to spoil the surprise, intoxicated as he was by her.

"Ah, Lieutenant… Patience is a virtue."

"Yeah, yeah…" She dismissed, kissing him once more before stepping out of his grasp and leading the way toward the door. "You ready?"

He followed her out into the bullpen, settling an arm around her waist and beaming with pride when her squad complimented her dress.

"Where're you guys headed tonight all fancy?" Amanda asked.

Olivia rolled her eyes playfully, nudging her hip into Ed's as she answered. "I am not allowed to know yet…"

"Oh, nice! Keeping the spark alive. Very nice, Captain," Carisi observed. Amanda promptly swatted his arm. "What?" he asked innocently.

"Shut up," she muttered out of the side of her mouth. "Have fun, y'all. We'll see you tomorrow night — 7, right?"

Olivia nodded. "7 o'clock," she confirmed. She turned her attention to Fin. "You're still coming, right?"

"Yeah," he said grudgingly. "Who all is coming to this thing?" Olivia reminded him that it was just she and Ed, the squad, the kids, plus Heather and Ben with Jackson. "Heather… I know her?"

Olivia chuckled. "Trust me, Fin… you would remember meeting Heather." She shared a knowing glance with Ed, who leaned down and whispered in her ear that they'd better be going if they were going to make it to their destination on time. "Bye, guys."

"Night."

"Have fun!"

"See you tomorrow!"

Olivia and Ed made their way toward the elevator, and when doors shut with them inside, she leaned into his chest, looking up into his crystal blue eyes. "You spoil me."

He shrugged, hands sliding up and down her back. "You deserve it."

…

" _Hamilton_?" She shrieked excitedly when they came to a stop in front of the Richard Rogers Theatre. "You got tickets to Hamilton?"

He smiled sheepishly at her excitement and nodded. "I know you've been wanting to see it…"

Her lips crashing to his in a hard, passionate kiss cut off his words. "Thank you, Ed," she said breathlessly when they finally pulled apart. Her fingers worried the lapel of his jacket and her eyes searched his, for what, she didn't know. "Baby, this must've cost a fortune… I know how hard these tickets are to get. It's too much…"

He silenced her with a finger to her lips. "Think of it as an engagement gift," he reasoned, shrugging at her with twinkling eyes.

She quirked her head at him, a smirk playing at her lips, "Isn't that kinda the point of this?" she held up her left ring finger, the gorgeous white gold band and sparkling diamond proudly on display.

"Well, yeah," he conceded. "But I got the tickets before I got the ring, so…"

She kissed him again. "You are," another kiss, "so incredible."

"All for you," he whispered against her lips. "I love you, Liv."

"I love you, too," she smiled brightly, grabbing his hand and pulling him behind her, her giddiness making him laugh. "Let's go inside!"

##

"That was such a good show, wasn't it?" she marveled, brushing her hair as they got ready for bed that night. She met his eyes as he lay in bed, waiting for her.

"It was," he agreed. _Worth every penny to see you smile…_ "A whole new spin on musicals," he acknowledged, laughing. "I learned a lot."

She smiled, crawling into bed. "Me, too." She turned on her side to face him, her brown eyes softening as she looked at him. "Thank you, Ed."

"Liv," he started. "Stop thanking me." He reached for her hand, watching as their fingers interlaced before turning his attention back to her. "So, dinner party tomorrow."

She nodded, rubbing her thumb along his knuckles. "Mhmm. Well," she thought, "more like appetizer party. Everyone's bringing a finger-food this time around."

"And you and Heather are taking care of dessert?"

"Yep," she confirmed. "While you and Ben take the boys to the game…" Ed nodded. "I can't believe you're leaving me alone with her." Her tone was mockingly accusatory and Ed looked at her quizzically. She threw her head back dramatically, draping her free hand over her eyes. "She's gonna ask me like a thousand questions about the wedding, Ed," she cried, exasperated.

Ed inched closer to her, holding back laughter at her dramatics. "Lieutenant Benson being the _interrogated_ instead of the _interrogator_ for a change…" He removed the hand over her face, peppering the newly exposed flesh with kisses. "I like it."

"Yeah, well… What do I need to be interrogated by her for when I have you, Captain?" she asked sweetly, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. "Oh, hey—" she sat up, startling him. "Did you get the jersey?"

His smile was wide - and immediate. "I did," he nodded. "Wanna see?"

"Of course!" Her tone conveyed an air of _duh_ that was left unsaid.

Ed slid out of bed, making his way toward the closet and grabbing the plastic bag that hung haphazardly on his tie rack. Reaching in, he pulled out the toddler sized Yankees jersey and opened it up to Olivia, showing her the front first as his eyes raked over the back, a prideful smile gracing his lips.

"Turn it around!" she commanded, excitedly. The front of any Yankees jersey was just like that of a million other peoples'. She knew what made this one special was on the back. Her eyes locked on Ed's, and she saw the multitude of emotions swirling in his as he turned the jersey around.

He had gotten the number 3 stitched into the replica, for Noah's age. Above that, where the player's last name typically went, were letters that spelled out _Tucker_.

"Ed," she sighed. "It's adorable."

He grinned, turning so they could both admire the sports shop's handiwork. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You're sure this is okay with you?"

She tilted her head and looked at him, almost impatiently. "C'mere," she beckoned. She raised to her knees on the bed, hobbling over to the foot of it as he made his way to meet her, his hands going to her waist once he was close enough. "In 4 months," she started, wrapping her arms around his neck, "we're going to be married." He smiled at the wiggle in her eyebrows when she said the last word. "Noah and I _are_ both going to be Tuckers." She leaned in and kissed him, her lips parting against his, teasing him with the gentle touch of her tongue. "Plus," she continued, taking a deep breath and then chuckling, "he's three. He's going to have no idea what it says…"

"I know. I'm just still trying to be sensitive of stepping on your toes," he explained.

She shook her head, squeezing his shoulders in her hands. "We're a family. You said so yourself when you put this ring on my finger, if you recall…" Her eyebrow raised in challenge as one corner of her mouth lifted briefly into a small, half smile. "Even if you have to wait to legally adopt him, Noah is as much yours as he is mine. I'm just glad he has both of us now," she shared. "Two parents. Who love him. Unconditionally." She kissed Ed again.

"I do. So much," he agreed passionately. It was true.

One of the things that took him by surprise the most was the bond he had created with her son, how deeply he loved that little boy, like he was his own flesh and blood. He loved story time, he loved fixing boo-boos, he loved their dance parties in the living room, and making sure Noah's bedroom was monster-free… But mostly, he loved Noah's love, how he gave it to Ed so freely, without question.

He loved being Daddy.

##

"Baby, come here," Olivia called to Noah, pulling him between her parted knees as Ed stood next to the TV, his body covering the gifts he'd purchased for the young boy. Pseudo-Best Man gifts, was the goal, in lieu of a ring, just until Ed could figure out how - and where - to get a ring for a three year old that didn't look like something from a gum-ball machine - or for a Guido. "Daddy has a surprise for you, my love," she whispered in his ear, holding his squirmy body against her with a hand on his belly.

His eyes lit up, and he fought his mother's restraining hand. "A sup-pize! I want!"

Ed laughed and Olivia rolled her eyes, reminding him gently, "What do you say, Noah?"

Noah beamed, oozing with pure toddler-charm as he leaned forward. " _Peas_?"

"What do you think, Liv?" Ed teased, winking at Noah. "Should I give it to him?"

"I don't know," she said, playing along. "Has he been a good boy?"

Noah jumped against her. "I have! I been good boy! I be the best man! Peas, _peas_ gimme sup-pize!"

Sighing dramatically, Ed shrugged. "Well, alright…if you say so."

He reached behind him, grabbing the jersey and the hat he'd purchased with it in his hands before maneuvering so Noah could see. He set the hat down on the coffee table and made the jersey the focal point of the gift, holding it out in front of him while Noah excitedly look on. "METS!"

"Ye— What?" Ed looked affronted, and Olivia hid her face behind her son to hide her laughter. "No, Noah. Yankees. _Yan-kees_ ," he emphasized. "This is Daddy's team, bud." He turned the jersey around. "This is your very own jersey."

"I play ball?"

Ed chuckled, crouching down and beckoning his son over to him. "Maybe when you're older you can, kiddo. Do you want to play?"

"I play ball," he nodded, fingering the material as Ed pulled it across his tiny chest, buttoning it up for him. Ed found himself getting lost imagining a few years down the road, teaching Noah how to throw, how to catch, how to swing a bat...

"How's that?" Ed asked, smoothing the jersey over Noah's t-shirt underneath.

"Yankees," Noah tried the word on his tongue, smiling wistfully at Ed before turning back to his mom. "Yankees, mommy."

Olivia quickly wiped a tear before it could fall from her lower lashes, smiling at her son. "I know, baby. What do you say?"

Noah launched himself into Ed's arms, hugging him tightly around the neck as he shouted "Fank you, Daddy!" into Ed's ear.

"You're welcome, kiddo." He reached for the hat, adjusting the strap before sliding it over Noah's head, playfully yanking at the visor to move Noah's head back and forth. "There ya go. Perfect."

"Guess what, Noah?" Olivia said.

"Dere's _more_?"

"Daddy and Uncle Ben are going to take you and Jackson to a Yankees game today!"

He jumped with excitement, running a lap around the couch before crashing into Olivia's knees. "Play ball!"

As Noah continued to prance around the living room, Ed plopped dramatically next to his fiancée, reaching for her hand as his head rolled against the back cushion so he could look at her.

"Maybe we need to look into pee wee baseball programs for him?" She smiled, knowing how much that would mean to him.

"I'm on it," he promised, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it softly.

"I love you," she sighed, leaning into him as they waited for Heather and Ben to arrive ahead of the game.

"I love you, too," he replied. His eyes found Noah, now playing with toys in the corner of the room. "Both of you."

##

Heather, Ben and Jackson had arrived shortly after that, the boys decked out in similar Yankees garb while Heather was toting an oversized bag that seemed to weigh nearly as much as she did with how tilted she was from carrying it.

"What do you have there, Heath?" Olivia asked curiously – and slightly dreadfully.

"What? Oh, nothing," Heather's voice was dismissive and Olivia's alarm bells were instantly triggered.

She gave Ed a disbelieving look as he grasped her left hand in his, leaning in for a goodbye kiss. "Have fun," she told him.

"Go easy on the beers," Heather reminded. "There will be drinking tonight."

"We'll make sure the boys stop at two," Ben quipped, backing away from his wife's withering stare.

"Call if you need me to pick anything up on the way home," Ed said to Olivia softly, making his way toward the door to follow Ben and the boys.

He rubbed her ring finger gently, right at the second knuckle, just above her ring, before her hand slipped from his grasp and he shot her a wink before closing the door behind him. As she turned toward the living room and Heather, she smiled to herself.

That was his new thing- well, since last weekend anyway. Whenever they parted company, be it for work or something like today - a boys day out - he always rubbed her finger just above her ring, as if in a gentle reminder that she did, in fact, say yes. They were getting married. It was really happening.

"So, Cinderelly," Heather teased, interrupting her thoughts. "What menial task am I being assigned today?"

Olivia cocked her head to the side. "If you're being assigned a menial task, wouldn't that make _you_ Cinderella?"

Heather thought about this, and then shook her head dismissively. "Whatever. I have a son who doesn't appreciate the princess flicks," she explained. "What's on our agenda?" She asked more directly, sitting on the couch.

"Well," Olivia started, joining her friend. "I opted for more of a potluck route tonight." She hated the phrase potluck. It made her think of dingy office parties, which surely this was not going to be… but it saved her from having to cook everything, or cater – considering she'd be doing that for this same group of people in just a few short months. So, potluck it was. "But we're making the desserts."

"Well, lucky for you, I suck at baking," Heather declared, earning an eye roll from Olivia. "So, while _you're_ doing that, we will discuss…" She reached into the oversized bag she'd dropped to the ground when they'd arrived. "This."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Why do I get the feeling I don't want to know what's in there?" She was looking at what was easily a four-inch-thick three-ring binder, filled from cover to cover, multicolored post-its jutting out the top and the open side.

"It's my wedding book," Heather affirmed matter-of-factly. She watched Olivia's eyes close. "Oh, relax. We don't need to go through all of it…" Olivia breathed a sigh of relief that ended up being short-lived, "today."

"Right," Olivia said sarcastically.

"Oh, hush," Heather shushed her. "You're getting _married_ , in case you've forgotten. These kinds of things need to be planned. I wish you wouldn't be so difficult about me helping you…"

"Because it's going to be tiny! And Ed and I haven't talked about a theme… or a venue… or—"

"Do you guys have a date set?" Heather interrupted her, flipping through pages in the book.

Olivia sighed, relaxing further into the couch in resignation that she was not going to be able to wriggle her way out of this. "October 15th."

Heather's eyes bugged out of her head, "That's only four months, Olivia!"

"Four months is plenty of time when you don't want an extravagant wedding and are only inviting like 10 people," she said facetiously.

Heather considered her for a moment. "Have you thought about your dress?"

"No, I want to wait until we pick a venue before I decide on a dress," Olivia said. "But I do know I don't want anything big or foofy," she professed, leveling Heather with a pointed stare.

Heather smiled. "Foofy?"

"Yes, you know…" Olivia looked upward, searching her vocabulary for a term to describe further what she envisioned not wearing. "Fairytale princess-y," she settled on in explanation, further amusing Heather. "That wouldn't have been my style if I got married 20 years ago and it's not now."

"Aye-aye, Captain," Heather mock-saluted. "So, nothing big. So, let's talk neckline." She paused. "Sweetheart?"

"Yes, darling?" Olivia replied with a teasing smile.

"Funny," Heather commented dryly. "Do you prefer strapless?" Heather flipped a few pages. "Maybe halter?" She eyed Olivia's bust. "Might be hard to contain the girls in a strapless dress…."

"I do just fine _containing them_ , thank you." Olivia crossed her arms over her breasts. "And I really don't know what I want yet, Heather. Just…. Something simple."

Heather rolled her eyes. Simple could mean many different things, and simple to her was likely vastly different from what Olivia would consider.

"So you said you guys hadn't talked about venues?"

Olivia shook her head. "We've both made suggestions, in passing, but nothing's stuck. We don't need anything huge. Just big enough for my squad, a couple guys from Ed's unit, and you guys, really. I was thinking maybe a rooftop terrace somewhere…?"

Heather tried to envision what Olivia was alluding to. A terrace wedding, on a rooftop in Manhattan in the fall… It could be incredibly romantic. She flipped a few more pages of her book. "I'm just glad you guys aren't doing this at the courthouse," she said happily.

Olivia smiled, finally something she could get on board with. "No, I want to do this right. I only plan on doing it once…"

…

Later, Olivia removed a mixing bowl from the cabinet, gathering ingredients according to what the brownie box prescribed.

"So, how has Noah taken to this whole wedding," Heather used air quotes, "idea?"

Olivia snorted. "He has no real understanding of what's going on, but he's excited. Those two love each other so much," She cracked two eggs, allowing the contents to spill over the powdered mix. "Ed told him he's the best man—"

Heather clutched her chest. "If that's not the cutest thing…"

"I know," Olivia smiled. "But now, it's the reason he uses to get out of doing things. I tell him to pick up his toys, and he says, 'but I'm the best man, mommy.'" She laughed, shaking her head.

"Leave it to your kid to be cute while he's being defiant," Heather smiled, rolling her eyes playfully. "So," she started, changing the subject. "Who all is coming tonight and what are they bringing?"

##

Ben and Ed had moved the furniture out of the center of the living room shortly after they'd returned from the game, lining outer edge of the room with seating and leaving the open space for dancing, games, etc.

Olivia was in the kitchen gathering and organizing the drinks and making sure she had enough utensils when she heard the knock at the door. "Ed," she called. "Can you get that?"

He was dressed in dark jeans and a light blue polo, and Olivia's eyes raked over him as he made his way to the door to Amanda and Carisi, who was holding Jesse. She heard the trio making small talk and Ed cooing at the baby, and her heart swelled as she watched him, a tender smile on his face.

"Who's the boyfriend?" Heather had sidled up next to her, also watching the scene unfolding in the foyer, casually popping pretzels into her mouth from the bowl on the counter in front of her.

 _Boyfriend?_

Olivia chuckled. "That's Carisi. Well—Sonny. He's another of my detectives."

"Oh," Heather said, surprised. "Are they…"

Olivia glanced at her. "I think… the less I know the better."

"Gotcha."

"What can we do to help, Liv?" Carisi's voice got louder as they approached the kitchen, Jesse still in his arms.

"I think we've got it covered in here," she declared, walking around the counter to meet them on the other side. "I do want to hold this baby, though," she pulled Jesse from Carisi's arms into her own, bouncing her rhythmically on her hip as she heard Heather introduce herself to her detectives. "Isn't she just the sweetest thing?"

"Aw, thanks, Liv," Heather joked, batting her eyelashes at the brunette, who rolled her eyes.

Olivia felt the hand on her hip before she heard his voice. "She sure is," Ed agreed, coming up and standing partially behind her and partially next to her. Olivia watched, mesmerized as Ed ran the back of his index finger along Jesse's cheek.

Olivia caught Heather's eye and smiled as her friend winked, all of them watching Ed bond with the infant. Olivia gasped when Jesse leaned her body weight toward Ed, stretching her arms in silent request to be held by him, which he obliged, pulling her into his arms and resting her on his hip. "Hi, pretty girl," he whispered.

Jesse looked deeply into Ed's eyes, and the four other adults in the circle were enthralled with the exchange. "We've got a new baby whisperer on our hands," Amanda commented wryly, glancing at Olivia.

Olivia stepped into Ed, running one hand up his back, the other playing with Jesse's hand as she shook her head. "It's not new… Noah took to him right away, too," Olivia said proudly.

Ed looked at her, his lips curving into a small smile as they met the skin of her temple, watching and listening intently as she spoke in baby-talk to Jesse, overwhelmed with the notion that one day – hopefully soon – they would be showing off a new addition to their family.

Another child in need of a home. Two people, desperately in love, wanting to give them one.

##

She had gone to the kitchen to pour herself another drink, but a loud cackle from her son being tickled by Amanda had stolen her attention, and she watched the group in the living room with a small smile on her face.

She reflected on the last "dinner party" she had here, in the apartment she used to share with Brian. There had been laughter at that one, but not as sweet as that of a child, and the kids in the living room were definitely the center of attention tonight.

"What are you thinking?" Ed asked her, his arm snaking its way around her waist.

Wrapping her arms around him and giving a gentle squeeze, she softly replied, "Just how much has changed in the last couple of years."

"A lot has," Ed acknowledged.

"Mhmm." They were silent for a moment, observing their two worlds colliding, enthralled as Noah completely captivated his audience. Olivia shifted so she was standing in front of Ed, his arms moving to clasp around her waist. She felt his lips ghost over the skin of her neck, and goose bumps erupted across her flesh. "I wouldn't change a thing," she assured him softly.

"Hm?"

"If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't change a thing," she explained.

"No?"

She shook her head, turning in his arms and wrapping hers around his neck. Her fingers grazed the back of his head, running through his coarse hair and unknowingly sending shivers down his spine. Her eyes locked on his and she felt vulnerable, exposed under his gaze… but she didn't care to let him see that side of her. The corners of her lips lifted in a small smile and she tilted her head, still looking at him intently.

"It all led me to you."

##

Heather nudged Fin and jerked her chin toward Ed and Olivia, caught in their own little world in the kitchen. "Look at them," she said.

Fin liked to tease Olivia; it was part of the relationship they had, that they had cultivated for nearly 18 years. But it was refreshing seeing this side of her; it made him worry about her less. "She's happy. She deserves that," he said simply.

Heather nodded, sipping her drink. "She does." She nudged him again; smiling when he looked annoyed at all the touching. "So, which one of us gets to throw the bachelorette party?"

Fin laughed. "Oh, that is all you. I've already heard way too much about baby girl's sex life tonight because of you… I don't need no part of that."

"What was that?" Olivia interrupted, hands on her hips as she and Ed rejoined the party.

"Way to go, getting me in trouble…" Heather mumbled to Fin out of the side of her mouth.

…

Heather and Ben were blending in nicely, Heather forming an allegiance with Fin, who seemed to have taken a shine to her feisty disposition, finding every opportunity to goad her. Ben, on the other hand, spent a lot of time chatting with Amanda and Carisi, swapping baby stories and sharing gems from his traveling for work.

"You should see the video of them playing Twister," Heather laughed, pointing haphazardly at Ed and Olivia who were curled into each other on the floor in front of the couch.

"Oh!" Ben fished his phone out of his pocket, "Here you go."

Fin, Carisi and Amanda crowded around the small screen, dissolving into laughter when the Heather in the video had issued that last command and Olivia and Ed had gone tumbling.

"Baby girl…" Fin started sympathetically.

Olivia pointed at Heather, a defeated grin on her face. "That girl is a dirty cheater," she proclaimed.

"Well, you're a dirty—"

"Baby," Ben warned, smiling but shooting a pointed look toward the boys who were sprawled across the couch, exhausted from entertaining the adults in the earlier part of the evening.

…

The evening was drawing to a close, and Amanda stood, raising her beer. "Should we toast?"

"Yes!" Heather agreed excitedly, staggering to her feet and sloshing a bit of white wine over the rim of her glass in the process. Olivia caught Ed's eye and bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing.

"To Tucker—" Fin started. "I mean, to Ed… and Liv."

"May you bring each other lifelong happiness," Carisi added.

"We love you both," Ben chimed in.

"Congrats on your engagement."

Olivia and Ed looked at each other sweetly, lips meeting in a sweet but chaste kiss, before they clinked their glasses in cheers and thanks. Everyone's drinks were halfway to their lips when Heather, silent through the toasting until now, blurted out a late, and slurred, addition.

"Here's to never having to buy new batteries!" Heather toasted. "Unless, of course, you're into that sort of thing, Ed…" She smirked at him. "Whatever tickles your pickle..."

As if the first comment wasn't embarrassing enough, Olivia's eyes slipped shut at the last one. She looked up and met Ed's eyes, then Amanda's, who clearly did not know what to make of this very, very drunk friend of her Lieutenant's. "Cheers?" she chuckled

"Heather…" Olivia started, trying to contain her laughter.

Her friend perked up, smiling at Olivia. "What'd I do?"

##

"Is she going to be okay, Liv?" Amanda asked. The young detective was more amused than anything, but wanted to show her concern, too.

Olivia chuckled. "Ben's got her. She'll be fine." She paused. "That's Heather. Crazy, unpredictable…but hilarious – and she wonders why I hesitate to let her plan my wedding," she quipped.

"Good luck with that, Lieu," Carisi said dryly.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Well, listen – we're gonna go. Thanks for the invite, Liv." Amanda leaned in for a brief hug. "Congratulations, you guys," she said to Olivia and Ed.

"Thanks, Amanda."

"This was fun," Carisi said, kissing Olivia on the cheek and shaking Ed's hand. "Congrats."

Olivia tilted her head, smiling up at him. "Thank you, Carisi."

They made their way into the hallway outside the apartment, and after the final goodbyes, Olivia closed and locked the door, leaning against it as she surveyed her now-empty apartment, locking eyes with Ed who was lounging on the couch, spent.

"Well," she started, chuckling. "Heather was in rare form tonight."

"When isn't she?"

Olivia shrugged in concession. "True." She made her way to the couch, settling herself against his side. "Tonight was fun," she concluded. "Mildly embarrassing, but fun."

Ed reached for her hand, interlacing their fingers and resting them on his stomach. "How did this afternoon go? Get any planning done?" She grunted into his chest and he chuckled. "That bad?"

Lifting her head, she looked at him, a small smile on her face. "No, not really that bad. But I'd rather plan with you." At his furrowed brow, she kissed his lips. "This is _your_ wedding, just as much as mine."

"I want whatever you want, Liv. Whatever makes you happy," he said it so sweetly, so matter-of-factly. Her hand cupped his jaw and she stole another kiss; a longer one this time, deeper, more passionate.

She nuzzled his neck, leaning further into him until he felt her warm breath on him, her teeth raking over his skin. "You know what would make me happy right now?"

She placed an open-mouthed kiss to his neck, massaging her tongue against his pulse-point before moving behind his ear, making him groan.

He threw his head back, making room for her mouth while she straddled his hips, her hands snaking up the polo shirt he wore – her favorite one. _It makes your eyes pop_ , she'd said, so many months ago.

His hands found her hips, sliding under the silk blouse she wore until he hit skin, smiling as her mouth continued to assault his neck. "I could probably take a couple guesses."

##

 **A/N: You made it! Hope it didn't suck (promise me you'll tell me when it starts to…). What do you guys want to see next for our favorite family? Any ideas? Requests?**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: In honor of Father's Day, I present to you: Ed's first (in my universe). Slight chance of some OOC-ness in the second gift giving phase, and maybe even the first one, but I couldn't resist the sap. Olivia speaks some French in this – anything that doesn't get translated as part of the dialogue will have brackets with the English version right next to it. All from Google Translator, so, my French people, my apologies if your beautiful language was butchered. All grammatical mistakes, etc. are mine. Send me a PM if there's anything glaring. Enjoy!**

##

"Hi, baby," Olivia crouched down, opening her arms and smiling as Noah stepped into her embrace. When she released him, she noticed he was holding something oddly misshapen in his hands. "What do you have there, my love?"

A voice from behind her answered. It was Lily, one of the assistants at the day care facility. "We made presents for our Daddy's today," she explained. "Didn't we, Noah?"

He nodded sheepishly, tucking himself into Olivia while she talked to Lily.

"How sweet," she replied. "I don't want to sound like a horrible mother, but… what is it?"

Lily laughed. "You're not the first to ask, Ms. Benson—"

"Please call me Olivia," she smiled.

"Of course. We went with kind of a simple design so all the kids could participate. Most parents use them as a key dish, or to hold candy, paperclips…"

"Gotcha," Olivia laughed. "Well, his Daddy is going to love it. Won't he, Noah?" She caressed his head and felt him nod against her thigh. "I don't know why he gets so shy here," she mused.

"Oh, he's a sweetheart," Lily waved her off. She knelt down to Noah's level and lightly pinched his cheek. "Bye, Little Noah. See you Monday." Standing, she smiled. "Have a good evening, Olivia."

"You, too."

She admired the creation he'd made today for Ed, sure her fiancé would fall in love with it appropriately come Sunday morning, before putting it in her purse for safekeeping.

"Ready to go home, sweet Noah?"

"Ice cream?" He asked hopefully. He laid her with the puppy dog eyes, and she smiled resignedly, knowing she would be unable to refuse that look. God help her if he perfected it any further as he got older.

"One scoop," she told him. "And we share." His responding grin was infectious, and she reached down to tickle him before gathering him in her arms, trudging happily down the street to the ice cream shop not far from the apartment.

##

Olivia walked in from shutting down the living room and found Ed in bed already, reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose and he scrolled through the iPad.

"What are you doing?"

"I was thinking…"

"—Uh oh—" she interjected with a laugh.

He narrowed his eyes at her before continuing. "If we want to get to Paris before the wedding, we should probably start planning that. So," he shrugged, lifting the iPad, "I'm planning."

"Oh yeah?" She ran a brush through her brown hair, smirking when she caught him looking at her over the rim of his glasses. "Do I have a travel guide taped to the side of my head?"

He shook his head, chuckling. "As a matter of fact, you do not…"

She climbed into bed next to him. "So, tell me, Monsieur Tucker," she purred. "What are we doing in Paris?"

"The standard things… Eiffel Tower, Louvre…I'm trying to find things that Noah will be semi-interested in so he's not bored to tears," he shared. "I almost wish I'd waited to propose… Some of these places are gorgeous."

She nestled into his side, kissing the side of his neck. "I'm glad you didn't. The way you did it was perfect and so us." He rested his head against the top of hers and they both looked at the iPad screen as he scrolled through page after page of recommendations.

"We can see the Arc du Triomphe," he suggested, and he felt her body shake with laughter as it was pressed against him. "What?" he asked innocently.

"Say that again."

"Why?" She sat up to look at him and he tilted his head back, smiling though he had no idea what had her so amused.

"Because you're cute when you try to speak French." He sputtered defensively before she leaned in and covered his mouth with hers. He grunted into her mouth, forgetting about the iPad temporarily while her mouth ravaged his.

"If that's the reaction I get when I butcher the language, I don't know that I want to learn," he said when she pulled away.

She chuckled, settling back against him gesturing toward the iPad. "What else?"

"What's that bridge that people put the locks on?"

"There it is," she said, pointing at the screen. "Pont de Arts. Oh, but it says they don't let you put locks on there anymore," she finished sadly.

"Bummer."

She hummed in agreement. There was something undeniably romantic about being in the City of Love and professing yours in such a tangible way like that. They couldn't put a padlock on that bridge anymore, but her wheels were turning, and she was thinking that maybe they could do something else - something wholly them.

"Maybe we can have a picnic at the Jardin des Tuileries," he offered.

Olivia managed to eke out a, _that sounds nice,_ before dissolving into another fit of laughter.

He looked on, a smile finding its way to his face despite his attempt to be serious. "I think I'm going to let you handle all the French speaking from now on, Lieutenant."

"Je suis désolé, capitaine," [I'm sorry, Captain] she purred, moving the iPad to the night table beside Ed as she climbed over him. "Vous êtes sexy quand vous parlez français." [You're so sexy when you speak French]

His hands came to rest on her thighs and she hovered over him, her hair framing his face as he looked up at her, bewildered. "I have no idea what you just said, but fuck, that's sexy," he whispered, leaning up and capturing her lips, wasting no time before invading her mouth with his tongue.

She moaned into his mouth when his hands worked their way up to her breasts and she arched into his touch. "Dieu, je the veux," [God, I want you.] she panted.

Every word in French that escaped her lips seemed to spur him on further, and it wasn't long before he was clawing at her clothes, desperate to feel her, skin-on-skin. She yelped when he flipped them over, settling his weight between her legs. "Say more," he urged her, nibbling at her neck.

"Je t'aime," she whispered.

He pulled back from her neck. "I know that one," he said proudly, pupils dilated with arousal like she had never seen them before. "I love you, too."

She smiled warmly. "Je veux que tu me fasses l'amour." [I want you to make love to me.] She reached between them, torturously rubbing his arousal so there were no misconceptions on her meaning. She wanted him.

She reverted back to English when he started moving inside her, her brain no longer able to articulate anything more complicated or intelligent than grunts, moans, and the occasional _Oh, God_ followed by his name.

When they finished, he stayed inside her, shifting them so they were lying on their sides facing each other.

"That was something else," he gasped, still winded. He'd never been more turned on, more desperate for a release, more desperate to give her one. "You are so sexy when you speak French."

She smiled with the knowledge that she had said the exact same thing earlier, unbeknownst to him. Caressing his face, she leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "Je veux que tu me fasses l'amour."

"What does that mean?"

"You love me like no other," she translated softly, her gaze penetrating his eyes powerfully. "It's true."

He cupped her face, tracing the apple of her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "You deserve nothing less." She kissed his thumb when it swiped across her lips and he smiled. "How do you say _always_ in French?"

##

"Where's Daddy?" Noah asked the next morning.

"He got called into work, my love, but he'll be back soon," she told him, kissing his head. "What do you say we draw him a picture for Father's Day?"

"What fah-der's day?" he asked curiously. Olivia thought they'd gone over that in preschool, hence the clay dish, but toddler's attention spans had a tendency to be short.

"Do you remember when you drew me a picture and you and Daddy made me breakfast for Mother's day?" Noah nodded. "Well, Father's day is a day to celebrate daddies, just like there's a day to celebrate mommies."

"Cell-brate Noah, too?"

Olivia laughed. "On your birthday, we will, baby. But tomorrow is when we'll show daddy how much we love him and how happy he makes us, okay?"

"We make breffust again?" He continued coloring, the construction paper beginning to resemble a Rorschach picture with every new pass of color.

"You and I will, sweet boy. We'll make breakfast for Daddy."

She leaned back into the couch, dividing her attention between hotel possibilities in Paris and supervising her Mini Picasso at the coffee table. When he was done, she'd have him sign the artwork, and frame it to give to Ed tomorrow morning.

She'd already wrapped her gift – the one Noah would see, anyway - and she smiled just thinking about it. It was simple. Ed was no-frills and so was she, for that matter. But it was a token of where they were, as a family, now.

She'd asked Ben, ahead of the baseball game the boys had gone to the week prior, to keep an eye out for photo opportunities of her two favorite guys. She wanted to frame a picture of the two of them for Ed's desk and though it was true that her phone was nearing its storage maximum due to the volume of pictures she'd already taken of them, she knew that one from the Yankees game would capture the essence she was going for the best.

"All done," Noah announced proudly, gathering the drawing in his hands and turning to show his mother.

"It's beautiful, baby," she cooed. Her eyes traveled from one side of the paper to the other, over his unintelligible lines and squiggles, the assortment of colors. "He's going to love it."

"I make more," Noah declared, pulling another sheet from the stack and going to town again.

"You are going to make him feel so loved tomorrow, my sweet Noah," she assured him.

##

Olivia awoke the next morning to lips on her skin, trailing from her shoulder inward to her spine, before traveling down. She moaned softly, "Feels good."

"Say it in French," he whispered.

She smiled, though he couldn't see her face yet. If she had known the French thing was going to be such an aphrodisiac for him, she would've whipped that trick out much earlier in their relationship.

She obliged him, mustering the most seductive voice she could at such an early hour, "Ca fait du bien."

He groaned in appreciation behind her, his hands joining his lips in the slow exploration of her body. "The things you do to me, Liv," he whined.

She turned her head, reaching behind her to pull him closer and she whimpered when his lips touched hers. She opened her mouth to his tongue, immediately deepening the kiss. She felt his hand snake around to her lower stomach, fingertips just sliding below the waistband of her panties and she tore her lips from his, needing air. "God, Ed," she breathed.

His fingertips dipped lower, just about to slide to where she needed them most, when she gripped his wrist, pulling his hand out of her panties, and rolling over to face him. "What's wrong?" he panted, immeasurably turned on already.

"We can't. Not now," she glanced at the clock. "Noah's going to be waking up soon," she rasped. "We're making you breakfast," she said, adding "Act surprised," as an afterthought.

He smiled, his head falling back to the pillow as he fought his body for control over his burgeoning arousal, which, evidently, would have to wait. "What's the occasion?"

She looked at him, dumbfounded. "Seriously?"

"What?" he asked defensively.

"It's Father's Day," she explained.

She watched as realization manifested itself on his face as a slow smile. "Oh," he caressed her face. "Father's Day," he confirmed.

She nodded. "Noah made you a couple things. I got you something, too. And then there's another something that I'll give you later."

He raised his eyebrow lustfully at the implication. " _Later_?"

"Vers le bas, garcon," [Down, boy] she laughed. "Not that," she winked. "But that will come later, too." She got out of bed and wrapped herself in her robe, leaning down to kiss his lips. "Go back to sleep. _Your son_ and I will have breakfast ready shortly," she promised.

He closed his eyes with a smile.

His son. His fiancé. This life.

##

"Noah, show Daddy what you drew for him," Olivia prodded from the edge of the bed as Ed finished his breakfast of eggs, heart-shaped pancakes a la Olivia, and bacon – extra crispy – just as he liked it.

The first gift out of the gate had been Noah's clay creation, and after a lost look from Ed, Olivia guided Noah through the explanation of what it was. He promised to use it as a candy dish in his office starting the very next day.

Noah picked up a drawing, one of the four he'd made for Ed the day before, "Dis is the ball game," he explained matter-of-factly, pointing to various shapes and lines on the paper. "When I o-most catch the ball," he elaborated. In truth, the ball had been nowhere near them, only hit in their general direction, but Noah had thrown his gloved hand up in the air anyway, hopeful that the ball would land in it.

"You did such a good job, bud," Ed told him, causing Noah to beam with pride.

"And dis one," Noah continued, picking up another drawing, "is the time we made mommy laugh so hard juice come out her nose," he giggled. "'Member, Daddy? She laugh so hard."

"I do," Ed chuckled. "Do you remember why?" He eyed Olivia, who was silently watching from her perch, but directed the question to Noah.

"'Cause you dance funny, Daddy," Noah admonished him.

"I dance funny? I was just copying you, little man," Ed teased him.

The next two were Noah's depictions of when Ed ridded his bedroom of scary monsters one night, and the last, a reminder of their daddy-and-me ice cream dates after daycare. Olivia raised her eyebrow at Ed during that one.

"It's not _every_ time," he defended, with a grin.

Finally, it was Olivia's turn. She handed Ed a wrapped frame, nestling against the pillows on the other side of Noah so she could see when the picture was unveiled to him.

He tore gently at the paper, ignoring Noah's demands to _rip it, Daddy_ , and finally peeled it back far enough to see what lie inside.

It was a photo of him and Noah, taken close to the 7th inning stretch. He remembered the moment. Noah was perched on Ed's left thigh, his attention toward his dad as his arm pointed to something unseen in the distance. Ed was smiling softly at the little boy, their matching jerseys perfectly on display, hat visors almost touching.

The first time Olivia had seen the photo, it brought tears to her eyes, the look on Ed's face one of pure unadulterated love, the same emotion being reflected back to him from Noah.

"That me!" Noah exclaimed excitedly.

"Yeah, its you and me, bud," Ed reached over and squeezed Noah's thigh. He looked over at Olivia and she smiled when she saw the emotion swirling in his eyes.

"Happy Father's Day," she whispered, not trusting her voice to go any louder than that, knowing the dam was soon to break.

Ed set the frame down on his lap and reached his left arm over Noah's head to pull Olivia to him. She leaned over her son, partially crushing him, so she could reach Ed's lips with her own. They kissed tenderly, reflective of the emotion in the moment – his first official Father's Day. "Je t'aime," he whispered, earning a chuckle from her.

"Look who's catching on already…"

##

They spent a little more time in bed as a family before Olivia suggested they pack a picnic and head to the park. Both Noah and Ed were excited about the prospect of playing catch, and she lay on a blanket in the shade while she watched.

Ed was throwing the ball underhanded, as softly as he could while ensuring it went the distance required, and Noah even caught a few, much to his excitement. Noah, however, was making Ed work for it, throwing the ball as hard as he could, as far as he could. Unfortunately for Ed, this didn't necessarily mean the ball was thrown _to_ him. More than a few times, he had to sprint after a ball that Noah had spiked due to improper form, and it had taken an unfortunate bounce.

After an hour, they were both tired and sweaty, the June sun bearing down on them more often than the clouds hid it.

Ed lay down next to Olivia, catching his breath and groaning when Noah pounced on him gleefully.

"C'mere, baby," Olivia coaxed, pulling Noah into her lap. "Let's give Daddy a break for a few minutes," she said, winking at Ed.

"We play ball, Mommy," he boasted. "I throw hard."

"I saw, my love. You throw so well," she praised him, kissing his hair. "Are you getting hungry, Noah?" He mocked the sound his tummy made when it growled. "I'll take that as a yes," she laughed. "How about you?" she asked, nudging Ed, who was facing her on his side now, head perched on his elbow.

"I could eat," he shrugged, winking at her.

She blushed at the double entendre. "Oh, I know you can," she indulged him, before divvying up the snacks from the cooler they'd packed.

##

They spent another hour or so at the park after that, horsing around before Olivia made the call to head back home. Noah was starting to get cranky without a nap, and she didn't want him to get sunburn from spending too much time outside, even if she did slather him in a high-SPF when they'd arrived.

They'd all taken a nap when they got back to the apartment, and spent the rest of the evening watching movies together cuddled up on the couch.

Ed walked up behind her in the bathroom after Noah had been put to sleep and the adults had retired to their room for the evening. "I seem to recall," he started, kissing her neck, "someone saying there was another _something_ for me later." He kissed his way from her earlobe to her shoulder. "Is it later yet?"

She smiled, tilting her head to give him more access for his ministrations and closing her eyes to heighten the sensations he was causing, her nerve endings coming alive. "Yes," she breathed. "Go get in bed. I'll get it," she promised.

He pulled his lips from her skin and gave her a look, a skeptical one.

"It's nothing like _that,_ you dirty man," she laughed. "Just go," she shooed him from the bathroom and followed him out, diverting to her dresser when he made his way to his side of the bed.

She made her way to her side of the bed, sitting Indian-style facing him and handing him a manila envelope. "Open it," she urged him softly.

He pinched the butterfly clasp, lifting the flap and pulling out a small stack of papers. The very top was a note to him, from her. It read:

 _Ed,_

 _I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully explain how much it means to be that you've accepted Noah with open arms as you have. When I adopted him, I did it knowing that there was a chance he would grow up not knowing the love of a father figure, hoping that I would be enough for him._

 _And then you came along. I have seen a lot of new sides to you since we got together and as we've fallen in love, but seeing you with Noah, seeing the Daddy in you, has been by far my favorite. He loves you so much._

 _I read somewhere that fatherhood requires love, not DNA, and watching you with Noah proves that statement to be fact, in my eyes._

 _I adopted Noah alone, but I can't wait to expand our family with you._

 _All my love,_

 _Olivia_

There were tears in both of their eyes when he finished reading.

"Liv…" his voice was hoarse with emotion.

She scooted closer to him, setting her note aside so he could see the rest. "There's more," she told him gently. He looked down and read the words _Petition for Adoption_ , with Noah's name written beneath. "I want him to be yours just as much as mine," she whispered. "Legally."

He turned to look at her, his eyes watery. "Thank you." He grasped her face in both hands, pulling her to him and kissing her softly but passionately, using the movement of his lips against hers to convey wordlessly how much this gesture touched him.

When they pulled away, "I met with Trevor, and legally we can't sign these and make them official until the wedding, but I wanted you to know that I want to do this, literally the first second we're able to. I want him to be _ours_ – in every way he can be, not just in here," she put one hand to his chest.

He nodded, clearing his throat of the emotion that was lingering before he moved onto the next items, holding in his hands pamphlets for a couple of New York's adoption agencies. He looked at Olivia excitedly. "You're really ready for this?"

"I am," she affirmed. "This is also something we have to wait to be officially married for," she reminded him apologetically, knowing the months until the wedding would feel even longer from the anticipation, "but Trevor's going to get us as far into the process as we can get until then. We can meet with him together and you can ask any questions you want," she told him.

He shook his head in awe, gathering the documents and putting them back in the envelope before setting it on the night table and gathering her in his arms. She didn't expect the sudden embrace and yelped in surprise before she sunk into his arms, smiling broadly into his neck.

"You and Noah are the greatest things that have ever happened to me," he said emphatically, squeezing her harder before pulling away and wiping at the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He caressed her cheek, leaning in to give her a soft kiss that quickly evolved into something more passionate as she leaned back, pulling him over her.

"Have we reached the _other_ later part of the evening, Lieutenant?" he teased, nipping at her neck as they divested each other of their clothing.

"We have," she confirmed, flirtatiously, pulling him down to her lips again with a hand on the back of his neck. She gently explored his mouth with her tongue, swallowing his soft grunts and moans before he pulled away, breathing heavily into her ear. She whispered in his ear before he could utter a word. "Merci d'aimer mon fils."

He pulled back, looking into her eyes. "That was different," he observed. "Your tone…" His eyes flicked back and forth between hers and he noticed a small smile on her lips in his peripheral vision. "What did you say?"

"I said, thank you for loving my son."

He kissed her forehead, her nose, before finally landing at her lips. He muttered against them, "Thank you for letting me."

##

 **A/N: That was more emotional than I planned, but these things have a way of steering themselves… Wanted to break up the wedding stuff a bit, so apologies for those who missed Heather. She needs to recover from her hangover and will be back for the next one. ;)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I really miss the show. Hiatus is taking too long and I need inspiration! I'm trying to break up the stuff leading up to Paris and the wedding as much as possible, so after Father's Day in the previous chapter, this one is more wedding-centric. If there's anything in particular you do (or don't) want to see, let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate. Any mistakes are my own. Thanks for reading!**

 **##**

"Hi, we have an appointment with Kyle at 1," Olivia announced, walking up to the reception desk hand-in-hand with Ed. She rubbed the side of his thumb, watching him take in the grandiose – and slightly pretentious – décor of the lobby.

"Of course," the receptionist, Trudy, her nametag said, purred. She punched a few keys on her keyboard before looking up to Olivia with a wide, fake smile. "He'll just be a moment."

"No problem."

Ed and Olivia stepped away from the desk, meandering toward a couple of rigid and uncomfortable-looking deep-seated chairs. Ed looked at the chairs skeptically, situated on a rug that looked like it was just recently scraped off the back of a polar bear.

"Ed," Olivia whispered. He looked at her. "Just sit in the chair," she chuckled.

"I am," he said innocently. "I'm just wondering if I'll be able to roll myself out of it…"

Over the past week, they'd spent time researching the rooftop wedding concept and had come up with a list of venues to check out, which was how they were now spending their Saturday: carting themselves all over the city and touring venues, trying to determine which, if any, would be a right fit for their pending nuptials.

A singsong voice broke the cool silence in the lobby. "You must be Ed and Olivia," Kyle greeted, swooping in and kissing Olivia on both cheeks before reaching a hand to Ed, who shook it amiably. Kyle looked to be in his young forties, wearing a perfectly tailored, slim-fitting grey suit with a light pink shirt and thin black tie. "Beautiful couple," he gushed.

They both smiled their thanks and Kyle excitedly started walking, waving his hands in a gesture that beckoned them to follow. As they trailed their guide, Ed shot an exasperated look to Olivia. _Really?_ Which she answered with a nudge to his ribs and a grin that she had to bite her lip to hide.

"So," Kyle prodded, elongating the 'o', "I hear we're getting _married_!" Olivia beamed and nodded, leaning into Ed. "When's the big day?"

"October 15th," she shared.

Kyle's eyes widened and his eyebrows wiggled as his hands came together in front of his face in an evil-genius type of gesture. "Oooh, not long, now… Must get to work!"

The trio boarded an elevator, and Kyle punched in a code that prompted the metal box to ascend to the 7th floor. Stepping off the elevator, they walked a short distance before the room opened, and they found themselves in a covered loft that gave way into the rooftop terrace that Ed and Olivia had seen on their website. The center of the terrace was a lush green garden complete with a reflective pool at the head, surrounded by limestone pavers. The pavers also framed the garden area, providing continuity to the expertly decorated and landscaped rooftop oasis.

"This," Kyle opened his arms in a grand gesture, bowing slightly before them, "is 620 Loft And Terrace," he announced.

"It's beautiful," Olivia marveled.

It really was. It was situated on 5th Avenue, and one corner of the rooftop overlooked the gothic beauty of St. Patrick's Cathedral, while another corner overlooked Rockefeller Center.

"So, Olivia," Kyle prompted, linking his arm with hers and walking the perimeter of the rooftop with the couple, Ed firmly attached to her other side, "what do you envision for your day?"

Olivia was a bit taken aback by the question, and automatically, she turned her gaze to Ed, as if his face held all the answers to Kyle's question. He smiled at her, encouraging her to go on, so she did. She explained, to the best of her ability, the image she had in her head, the perfect setting for one of the biggest events of her life – of the start of _their_ life, together.

Kyle listened attentively, interjecting with a soft question here or there, but he impressed her with the seriousness with which he took to the task of understanding her wants and needs as "the Bride."

She emphasized small, simple - demands that Kyle seemed unconcerned with their ability to meet. She asked about seating layouts, how to divide the ceremony and the reception, though she wanted both to take place in the same space. He lauded their ability to move the party inside in the event of inclement weather, and could put them in touch with some of their top catering partners.

After discussing a few more details – where would the altar be? Did they have an officiator? Did they have a space where Olivia and Ed could get ready separately, or would they have to rent hotel rooms nearby? And, of course, cost – Kyle disappeared to pull some pamphlets and paperwork for them, and left the two to wander alone on the rooftop.

Ed made his way toward the corner that overlooked the Cathedral, while Olivia ambled toward the reflective pool that the altar would be positioned in front of. Her vantage point allowed her a view of the whole venue – the whole portion that would be available to them, anyway, and she closed her eyes in an effort to envision what October 15th would look like to them, here, getting married.

And therein lay the problem. She couldn't see it. Just as in the half-dozen places they'd seen earlier in the day.

She allowed herself to feel the disappointment briefly, before ultimately shaking it off. When it was right, she would know it. She had used that logic on just about every major decision she'd ever made, and her gut had never steered her wrong. This time would be no different.

She felt Ed's presence as he sidled up next to her wrapping an arm around her waist, and she settled into him.

"What do you think?" she hazarded.

He sighed, kissing her temple. "I think we need to keep looking." He stepped behind her, kissing the back of her head tenderly. "It's a beautiful place, but…"

"It's not _the place_ ," she finished for him, turning around in his arms. Her hands grasped his, and she leaned her head down until her forehead was pressing into his chest. "I just want simple," she complained, drawing a smile out of Ed that he was thankful she couldn't see. "Every place we've looked at today has either been a glorified rec center, which is _not_ happening," she said sternly, "or it's ready for it's profile on Page Six." Ed chuckled. "I want a happy medium: nice, without being pretentious. Doesn't that exist?"

He disentangled his hands from hers, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her further into his chest. "It's out there, we just have to find it, Liv."

"Oh, are we rehearsing?" Kyle teased made his untimely return, noting their positioning in front of the reflective pool. He had returned bearing a folder filled with catering recommendations, a pricing structure, and the terms of the contract they would sign. Olivia turned to face him. "Am I correct in assuming that y'all will need a bit of time to make this decision?" Not needing any further confirmation from the other, both nodded their heads and Kyle handed the folder to Olivia. "Not a problem, lovelies. Just keep in mind, for an October wedding, your window of time to reserve is closing," he cautioned.

"Got it," Olivia acknowledged. "We'll look this over this weekend," she promised. "Thank you so much for your help, Kyle."

"Oh, please," he dismissed her, brightening. "You guys have been a dream to deal with." He kissed both of her cheeks, shaking Ed's hand once again as he backed away from them. "Feel free to take your time up here. We don't have an event until the evening, and you don't need a code to get down the elevator," he told them. "Best of luck!"

"Thank you," Ed replied. He spotted a couple of chaise loungers off to the side of the garden space and gestured toward them. "Sit for a few minutes?"

Wordlessly, Olivia nodded, letting Ed guide her by the hand. He sat down first, opening his legs so he had one on either side of the lounger, and Olivia settled between them, her back to his chest.

"This is so frustrating," she sighed. "I thought this would be the easy part."

His hands rubbed her upper arms and he kissed the back of her head. "I know, baby. But we'll figure it out. The right place is out there."

She closed her eyes, content in his embrace, cloaked in his comfort.

"Ed?"

"Hmm?"

"Wherever the right place ends up being," she started confidently, "I want you to know I can't wait to marry you."

He placed a gentle open-mouthed kiss to the back of her neck, just under where the hair coming out of her loose ponytail hit her nape. He sucked her skin softly, soothing the area with his tongue as he pulled his lips from her. When he spoke, his voice was a husky whisper right in her ear that sent a torrent of shivers down her spine, giving her goose bumps despite the nearly oppressive heat they were sitting in.

"I can't wait to marry you, either."

##

An hour later, Olivia found herself not quite knee-deep in hot water, melted into the massage chair at the salon she and Heather frequented while the rolling mechanism worked the kinks out of her lower back. She stifled a groan and opened her eyes when Heather swatted her forearm from the seat beside her.

"The conditions of my keeping your child while you and Ed went out and did wedding stuff were _details,"_ Heather not so gently reminded. "So, spill it woman."

Olivia sighed around a smile. "We looked at a bunch of places today," she started. "But…"

"— _None_ of them stood out?"

Olivia shook her head, turning slightly to face her friend. "I mean, there were nice ones," she acknowledged. "Definitely a couple of not-so-nice ones," she visibly bristled at the memory of one particular location that did not, as the website promised, have a viable rooftop venue, but rather wanted to host the wedding in a space that was a set of bleachers short of being a gymnasium. "But nothing that really jumped out at us," she added. "A few that were so far out of our price range that I'm surprised they even agreed to meet with us once they found out we were two cops getting married with an audience of no more than 15 people," she joked.

"Your money is still green, Liv," Heather bantered. She turned to face Olivia as comfortably as she could with her feet being poked, prodded and rubbed by the nail tech. "So, what happens next?"

Olivia sighed. "I don't know. I guess we keep looking," she surmised.

"And you're sure that the rooftop thing is absolutely the route you want to take?"

"Yes," Olivia answered unequivocally. "When I picture it, that's what I see. I just haven't found the place that captures the essence I'm going for, y'know?" Heather just looked at her. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

In a surprising, and rare, moment of sincerity, Heather shook her head. "No, Liv, I don't. This is an important day for you. Lord knows I was an absolute Bridezilla when we were planning mine and Ben's wedding," she joked. "You're allowed to be particular, to be picky, to not settle. It's your day." She paused. "But can I make one small suggestion?" she asked cautiously.

Olivia said nothing, merely looked at her friend expectantly.

"Why are you looking at legit venues when the vibe you're going for is something you can more easily create?" Heather's question was earnest, for once not laced with sarcasm. The younger woman could tell she had the bride-to-be's attention, so she went on. "Who's to say we couldn't dress up my roof, or yours?" she asked. "You live in a nice building. It could just be a matter of stringing up some lights," she shrugged.

Olivia looked away and closed her eyes, her face pointed toward the ceiling. She envisioned being driven crazy by an over-amplified Heather while she tried to get ready in her own apartment, kicking Ed out to get ready elsewhere. Taking her elevator up to the roof, walking down an aisle lined with flowers that she and Heather would likely lay down themselves.

She could picture Noah walking down the aisle, stopping periodically to get caught up in boasting his Best Man status to those seated on the aisle, maybe dropping the rings from his butter-fingers before he made it to the altar to stand beside Ed.

She could see everything.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, you may have something there, Heather."

"You say that like it's never happened before," Heather responded incredulously. "Look," she grasped Olivia's forearm, "any one of those places you went to today is going to charge you an arm and a leg, and the atmosphere would be so stuffy and just… _wrong_ , you'd be miserable. DIY Wedding equals instant comfort and total control."

If her heart hadn't been set on the idea before, the words _total control_ won her over.

"And," Heather added gleefully, "If you're doing this DIY-style, I can help you plan!" Olivia started tuning out as Heather talked about floral arrangements, seating charts, and which song Olivia would walk down the aisle to. _Here Comes the Bride_ _is SO out_ , she said dismissively.

Olivia fought a groan. _Here we go_.

"Oh!" Heather gasped, flailing the foot that was being worked on and sending her nail tech rolling away to safety. She spared the young Asian woman an apologetic glance and turned to Olivia. "So, if you've chosen a venue, does this mean we can start looking at dresses?" Her voice climbed higher with every word and she clapped her hands excitedly.

"Heather," Olivia whined, lolling her head against the backrest of the massage chair. "I don't know if I feel like getting into all that today…"

"Pleeeeeeeease?" Heather gave Olivia her best puppy-dog look, clasping her hands together and holding them at her chin. "Just one store," she promised. "There's one right down the street." She pouted for the full effect and Olivia couldn't help the huff of laughter.

"Fine," she relented, holding up her index finger. " _One_ store. But I'm not going in. Window shopping only," she stipulated.

The excitement that Heather felt at her victory waned slightly with Olivia's parameters, but she took the win, squirming excitedly. She turned to the woman who was working on her toes. "Ma'am," she started. "Do you think you could," she waved her hands in a circular motion, "speed things up a bit?"

The tech gave Heather a dirty look, glancing at Olivia who mouthed _I'm sorry_ , before she began muttering venomously to the tech working on Olivia's feet in her native tongue.

Heather, either oblivious or simply choosing to ignore the indignation her request had caused, continued animatedly discussing the details of the wedding with Olivia – or rather, _at_ Olivia - until they were finally able to make their way out of the salon, ambling arm-in-arm toward the bridal shop down the street.

##

Olivia walked into their apartment that evening with arms loaded down with bags from the Chinese place down the street. Jackson hadn't been feeling well while the girls were doing their primping and rather than run the risk of it being contagious and infecting everyone, Ed had wisely removed himself and Noah from the crosshairs. Instead of dinner as a sextet, Ed had texted Olivia and requested that she bring something home with her.

She smiled, hearing a broken version of "Take Me Out to The Ball Game" being belted from Noah's lungs, assuming they were watching a baseball game of some sort on TV.

"Mommy!" Noah ran to her as soon as he registered her presence, wrapping his arms around her legs.

She let a free hand drop to caress his head, running her fingers through his hair gently. "Hi, my love. Did you have fun today?"

With Noah still attached to her lower extremities, she carefully waddled toward the living room, handing off the bags with their dinner to Ed so he could organize them on the coffee table. She crouched down to Noah, fingers caressing his cheeks as he spoke.

"We leaved early 'cause Jackson was sick," Noah said. He looked slightly forlorn, with worry perhaps, but the emotion was fleeting on his face and he immediately dove into regaling her with his and Ed's exploits once they'd left Heather and Ben's abode. "We got ice creams, and we went to the monkey bars…"

"What kind of ice cream did you get?" she asked good-naturedly.

Noah jumped excitedly. "All kinds!"

Olivia laughed in Ed's direction. "What did you do?"

Ed gave her a look that turned smoldering, and her smile faltered for a brief moment. "I figured between the crash from the sugar high and the playground, he'd be worn out by now," he said suggestively.

Olivia gave him an almost indiscernible wink before leaning in and peppering Noah's face with kisses. "It's okay," she said, tickling him and smiling at his giggles. "Because good little boys go to sleep when their mommies and daddies tell them to," she tickled him some more, eliciting shrieks of joy. "And Noah's a good little boy, right?"

He cackled, trying desperately to wriggle out of his mother's grasp. "I good!" he cried. "I good!" Mercifully, Olivia stopped tickling him, planting a big kiss on his cheek and then wiping the remnants of gloss that were left behind on his skin. "I the best man, mommy."

"Yes, you are," she agreed, and he scampered off to play with his blocks. Olivia groaned, pushing against her knees as she brought herself back into a standing position from being crouched. "You've created a monster with that 'best man' thing, you know," she told Ed as she sat beside him on the couch.

"Small price to pay to marry you," he said simply, leaning forward and kissing her tenderly.

When they broke, she shook her head smiling. "Such a sweet talker…"

##

Ed slid his credit card back into his wallet, folded the worn leather, and set it on his nightstand with the iPad, smiling triumphantly toward Olivia's side of the bed. "Okay, flights and hotel are booked for Paris," he announced.

"Yeah?" Olivia turned to face him in bed, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together. "Paris…" she said, shaking her head in disbelief. It had been a dream of hers for so many years, visiting the City of Love, seeing the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower…

"September," Ed said longingly. "Seems like so far away."

"It'll fly by though," she assured him (and herself), bringing their joined hands to her lips and planting a kiss on his skin. "With wedding planning…"

"Speaking of…" Ed interrupted. "How did that go?"

Olivia's eyes brightened. "Oh!" Ed raised his eyebrows expectantly while Olivia adjusted her positioning, scooting closer to him and propping her head up with her hand. "I told Heather about all the places we visited today, how none of them seemed to be the _right_ place, and she actually had a good suggestion," she told him.

"I guess she was due," Ed acknowledged dryly, earning a chuckle from his fiancée. "Let's hear it…"

She narrowed her eyes at him seriously. "What do you think about having the wedding on the roof?"

"Our roof?" Ed clarified.

Olivia nodded. "Our roof."

"Well," Ed thought aloud, "you can't beat the price tag…"

"Ed," she rebuked.

"Kidding," he smiled. "I think," he paused. "I think I kinda like that idea." He turned to look at her, captivated by the warmth and the restrained excitement swirling in her brown eyes. "Is that what you want?"

She smiled shyly at him. "The more I think about it, the more I love it," she told him truthfully.

"Then, it's perfect," he decided. "Let's do it."

She smiled at him, scooting even closer still until she was half on top of him. Her eyes flicked between his and his lips before she covered them with her own, opening her mouth a moment later at the gentle prodding of his tongue.

She hummed her approval as he explored her mouth, softly at first before he ratcheted up the intensity, his hands travelling the expanse of her body – what he could reach, anyway. He shifted so he was more on his side than his back, keeping his mouth connected with hers as his hand drifted south, sliding underneath the material of her sleep shorts and finding her wet with arousal.

She tore her lips from his, her staccato breath in his ear as her hips established a rhythm with his hand. "Jesus, Ed," she hissed.

He let out a breathy chuckle, increasing the speed of his fingers and rolling them over so she was on her back beneath him. Her legs dropped open allowing him more room to maneuver, and she looked up at him through heavy-lidded eyes. "Baby," she pleaded. He extricated his hand, smiling at her whimper of disappointment before he quietly disrobed them both, laving torturous attention at all of her particular erogenous zones as he did. "Such a tease," she complained.

He leaned down, covering her lips with his and pulling away when she tried to deepen the kiss. "I love you," he whispered.

She laid a hand on his cheek, letting it slide down the flushed skin of his neck and chest before wrapping around his manhood, smiling triumphantly when he groaned at the unexpected contact. "I love you, too," she moaned, lining him up at her entrance and bucking her hips invitingly. "Now, please…"

##

" _My God,_ " she gasped, her body going limp beneath Ed as he showered her sweaty skin with kisses. "That was…."

"I know," he mumbled into her neck. "Top 5, easy," he declared proudly, garnering a hoarse chuckle out of her as she ran her hands up and down his slickened back.

He pulled himself up into a pushup position, looking down at her with his trademark smirk as she recovered. There was sheen of sweat on her face, her hair was frizzy and matted and _everywhere,_ and her eyes were significantly brighter than normal in the afterglow of their decidedly passionate encounter. Her blood was still working its way back to her face, but she still managed a blush under his adoring scrutiny.

He hovered over her, rubbing his nose against hers in an Eskimo kiss before finding her lips again. "You're beautiful," he told her.

She blinked up at him, her arms moving from his back to scratch lightly at his abdomen. She delighted in feeling the muscles twitch beneath her fingertips. "Wanna tell me where that came from?" she asked, referring to the rigorous lovemaking session she was still recovering from.

He shrugged. "Paris…finding a wedding venue…just being close to you," he ventured. "Coulda been any of the above," he winked.

"Speaking of Paris," she started, tilting her head to give him greater access to her neck as he showered her with kisses in preparation for round two. "You did make sure to get a suite, right? A separate bedroom for Noah?" her voice carried a definite suggestive lilt and he pulled back from his ministrations, eyeing her devilishly.

"Don't worry about it," he said confidently.

"But—" Her protest died on her lips as they were covered with his, the rest of her thought transforming into a moan against his mouth. He released her briefly and she managed a terse "okay, then" before she was swept, smiling, into another kiss.

Through the entirety of their romantic relationship, Ed had been diligent and attentive in taking care of both her and Noah. Who was she to doubt him now?

##

 **A/N: Well, there it is… So, we have to find Olivia a dress, put her through some more wedding and non-wedding related Heather-teasing, and get them to Paris…. What else?**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Happy 4** **th** **! You know the drill… Nothing's mine. S/O to allll my Twitter peeps for keeping me sane and making me crazy simultaneously. There's a little bit of Heather in all of you 3**

 **P.S. I got a guest review request for smuttier chapter for the Tuckson wedding night. Ask and you shall receive. :) All in good time, friends, all in good time…**

##

"Noah, can you hold still for me, baby?" Olivia clenched her thighs in an effort to still the squirming child that stood between them while she delicately dabbed a wet towel over the temporary tattoo she was putting on his cheek. This one was a waving American flag, and it paired nicely with the "Go USA!" she had just settled on his other cheek.

"I get real one, Mommy?" He asked her innocently, drawing circles on the tops of her thighs while he fidgeted, waiting for her to finish.

"Not until you're 18. At least," she said sternly. "Okay, I think we can take the paper off. You ready?"

He jumped excitedly, still situated between her thighs. "I wanna see!"

"Okay. Hold super still, my love. _Super-doopey_ still," she cajoled him, running her hands up and down his arms and smiled as he giggled. _Super-doopey_ was a word of his own creation, and he loved when she used it.

Noah made like a statue, and she carefully peeled back the sodden paper, leaning forward to make sure all of the temporary ink was affixed to his cheek and none was coming off and ruining the design.

"There," she said, admiring her handiwork. "Perfect." She picked him up and stood, holding him close to the mirror over the sink so he could inspect the results. "What do you think, sweet boy?"

"I have tattoos!" He said excitedly.

She deposited him on the floor as Ed appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. "Look at you, tough guy." Noah flexed his arms in front of him like the Hulk and tried to muster a menacing growl, but it was difficult with the smile stretching his lips and Ed laughed, copying his posture.

Olivia took his momentary distraction with Noah as an opportunity to eye her fiancé appreciatively. He was dressed in the red polo and faded jean shorts that she had laid out subtly for him on their bed. He paired the look with a pair of stark-white slip-ons that likely hadn't seen the outside of the closet in quite some time, but they rounded out her chosen outfit nicely.

"I feel a little _exposed_ with you looking me like that, Lieutenant," he teased her, pulling her out of her thoughts just before they took a turn for the salacious.

"You will be… _later_ ," she promised. Noah took off out of the bathroom and ran to his bedroom to pick toys for their evening, and Olivia stepped into Ed, scratching at his pecs as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "You look good," she complimented him.

Ed leaned down, kissing her chastely as his hands traveled south to land on her behind, not making a move to squeeze or pull her closer, just resting there. "So do you," he whispered in her ear.

"I'm not done getting dressed yet," she chuckled, tilting her head to allow space for his roving mouth as he descended on her neck.

He covered her skin with open-mouthed kisses, smiling against her as she whimpered, melting further and further into his hold. "Well," he murmured, "you better hurry up." Olivia's brow furrowed in confusion. "Heather and Ben just buzzed up. We're meeting them on the roof." He gave her rear end a tap and pulled away suddenly, smiling cockily at the dazed look on Olivia's face as she adjusted to the lack of his body pressed against hers.

As the fog cleared from her mind, she glared at him good-naturedly and he made his way out of the room. "Oh, you're going to pay for that," she threatened.

He poked his head back in the door as she moved toward the closet to choose her own red, white and blue ensemble, in keeping with the 4th of July holiday they were celebrating. "Oh, I'm planning on it," he assured her, and he ducked back out, laughing, just in time to miss the balled-up scarf she threw at him.

##

Ben was setting up a tabletop grill when Ed, Olivia and Noah made their way upstairs a few minutes later.

"Hey, Ben," Olivia greeted. "Thanks for bringing that," she gestured toward the grill.

"Hey! It's no problem," Ben smiled, pouring lighter fluid over the coals. "Ed, did you bring the—"

"Got it right here," Ed announced, holding up a bag full of hot dogs, hamburgers, and buns for both.

Noah spotted Jackson lying on his stomach on a pool float scratching away at a coloring book with some crayons, and ran over to join him.

"Ben?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah," he answered distractedly.

"Pool float?"

He laughed and looked up at her. "Less cumbersome and easier to inflate than an air mattress," he shrugged. "I thought the boys might need a soft place to crash later on."

Ed nodded, impressed. "Good thinkin'."

"I was a boy scout," Ben said proudly. "Always prepared," he held up his hand in the trademark salute.

Olivia grabbed a beer out of the cooler that she and Ed had brought up earlier, settling into a lounge chair as Ed and Ben prepped dinner, chatting about sports and nursing beers themselves. "Where's that wife of yours?" she asked curiously. It was odd that she hadn't seen or heard Heather yet. She _was_ up here, somewhere…

Right on cue, she heard her name shouted from the far corner of the roof. She looked up to see Heather beckoning to her as if she were trying to land a 747. "Never mind," she said playfully, pushing herself out of the chair and making her way toward her friend. "I found her."

"First of all," Heather started, once Olivia was closer, "Happy 4th of July—"

"—Same to you—"

"—And second of all, this place is," she whispered for the kids' benefit, though they were a safe distance away, " _fucking_ perfect for the wedding."

"Oh, yeah?" Olivia humored her.

"Yes," Heather replied emphatically. She immediately launched into Wedding Planner Mode, walking Olivia through potential logistics.

 _The chairs can go_ here, she mimed in an open area. _I know there are ugly things up here,_ pointing to AC units and ductwork, _but we can do room dividers or something to block those off,_ she added dismissively. _Have you thought about colors yet? Or flowers?_ Olivia had opened her mouth to answer, but Heather kept on, waving her off absently. _We'll figure it out._

"I think this spot has the best backdrop for the Chuppah," Heather noted, walking to the corner, with her hand on her chin pensively.

Olivia bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing. "Not that I don't agree, Heather, but…isn't a Chuppah for a _Jewish_ wedding?" she hazarded.

"Well," Heather shrugged, imploring her and gesturing wildly at the dead space, "you need _something._ "

##

Olivia had dragged Heather back to where the boys remained, not wanting the evening to become overshadowed by wedding planning. There was still plenty of time.

Ed had gone down to their apartment to retrieve a forgotten Bluetooth speaker and Heather immediately set to work on linking it up with her phone.

As Heather danced, a fresh bottle of beer tucked into the koozie in her hand, Olivia leaned back into the lounger, closing her eyes to heighten the sounds and smells of the evening. She'd never done the backyard-barbecue thing – or, rooftop-barbecue as was the case this evening – but she couldn't deny that smelling hot dogs and hamburgers cooking on the grill, the sounds of children laughing and good music playing in the background carried a definite feeling of _summer_.

"Is there room for me there?"

She opened her eyes to Ed's soft rasp and smiled at the tenderness she found in the blue irises staring back at her. "Of course." She opened her legs and he lay down between them, his legs bent at the knee over the foot of the lounger and his head on her stomach. She absently ran her fingers through the short hairs on his head, laughing as Heather danced with the two boys.

The opening notes of _Sweet Caroline_ came through the speaker and Ed groaned while Heather started singing along.

"You're one song away from losing music privileges, Heather," Ed warned, only half kidding.

Olivia, enjoying Ed's disdain for the classic, chimed in. " _Hands_ ," she sang. "Touching hands," she leaned forward, covering his hands with hers. "Reaching out… touching me, touching you," between each word, she shifted her hands on his body, laughing while singing along.

When the chorus hit, she and Heather went after it, Heather picking Noah up and scampering toward where his parents lay on the lounger. When the song got to the "bah, bah, bah" part, Heather grabbed Noah's arm, jabbing his fist in Ed's face mockingly until finally, he relented, laughing along with the girls and Noah, who was getting a kick out of being danced around.

"So good! So good! So good!" Ben joined, flipping burgers on the grill and giving his son a high-five.

"I'm outnumbered," Ed grumbled as the song continued.

"Suck it up, buttercup," Olivia teased, wrapping her arms around him and kissing the top of his head.

"Can't we listen to something a little more patriotic?"

Heather shook her head in exasperation. "It doesn't get much more American than Neil Diamond, Ed…"

"Uh, Springsteen?" He countered. "That guy who sings _God Bless the USA_?"

"You don't even know his name!" Heather argued back, laughing.

"Okay, children," Olivia interjected. "Ben, how are we coming on food?"

"We are," he started, pausing while he plated the burgers and dogs. "Done. Come and get it!" He grinned.

"Mommy, I want choc-lit," Noah complained, eyeing the hot dogs and hamburgers warily.

"Me, too, baby," she told him, running her fingers through his hair. "But we have to eat some real food before it's time for the chocolate, okay?"

"Soon?" He asked hopefully.

"The sooner you eat your dinner, the sooner we can have dessert," she promised. "Go get a hot dog from Uncle Ben and I'll cut it up for you, my love."

Heather and Olivia got the boys settled with their food, and the adults ate in a semi-circle around the grill.

"Did you guys buy that just for today?" Olivia asked.

"No, I love camping," Ben explained. "Been going since I was in the scouts." He swallowed the last bite of his burger and opened a bottle of beer with his hands, passing it to his wife and grabbing another for himself. "As soon as the little guy gets older, I'll start taking him." He gestured toward Ed, "You and Noah should come with."

"Have you ever been camping, Liv?" Heather wore a smirk, expecting a resounding _no_. She was surprised to see Olivia nod.

"Once, when I was a Girl Scout."

Ed looked at her, a bewildered smile on his face. "You were a Girl Scout?" She nodded shyly. "How come I didn't know that?"

"Well, a girl's gotta have _some_ mystery," she flirted. "Besides, it was short lived." Ed noticed her eyes darken and scooted closer to his fiancée, rubbing her back in comfort. "You okay?" he breathed, only loud enough for her to hear, though Heather and Ben could both tell from body language that they were having a private moment. She nodded and smiled at him reassuringly, meeting his eyes. He could tell that the conversation had churned up painful memories for her, and if he had to guess, he'd say they were related to her mother.

She leaned into him briefly, allowing herself to be comforted, before the whole group was distracted by the cracks and pops from fireworks starting somewhere in the distance.

Noah looked to his parents, a twinge of fear evident on his face. "Guns?"

Olivia reached her arms out and Noah didn't hesitate to walk into his mother's embrace. "No, baby," she soothed. "That noise is fireworks. People are lighting up the sky to celebrate our independence," she explained.

"Where?" He pulled back far enough to look at the sky, turning his head left, and then right. All that was visible was the leftover smoke, looking more like low, wispy clouds. "I can't see."

"We can't see them from here, bud," Ed explained rubbing his back. "Next year we'll go watch them," he promised.

Olivia smiled shyly at Ed upon hearing _next year_. The ring on her left finger was a comforting weight, a necessary reminder sometimes that they were both in this thing for the long haul, but then sometimes she just had to pinch herself that she had finally found her happy. Her permanent.

"Actually," Heather interjected. "I have some fireworks for us right here." Ed and Olivia looked up in surprise as Heather whipped a package of sparklers out of her tote bag.

"Is it a good idea for her to have sparklers right now?" Ed posed the question out of the side of his mouth, half kidding but half not as he nervously looked on while Noah discovered sparklers for the first time.

Heather hadn't consumed _that_ many beers in the grand scheme, but a good portion of the day had been spent in the sun, and the few beers she did have seemed to be hitting her maybe a little harder than normal.

Olivia nodded in acknowledgement, nudging him. "Few things are a good idea once she's started drinking." She stood up, pointing her index finger down at him sternly. "Watch her. I have to pee."

##

When Olivia returned from using their bathroom, she stopped short at the sight in front of her, wondering what happened with the sparklers to make the activity so short-lived. She couldn't have been gone _that_ long.

"Put your hands here, Ed," Heather coached, positioning Ed so his hands were on her waist. "Good."

Olivia came up beside Ben, who hadn't noticed her return. He was, of course, recording the spectacle before them.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Do I want to know?"

"She's taking it upon herself to make sure he'll be able to adequately spin you around the dance floor at your reception," Ben explained drily, chuckling.

"And you chose to record this instead of saving him because…?"

Ben finally turned to look at her. "Some day, years down the road, whether it's for an anniversary or a retirement roast, this," he pointed to his phone with his free hand, "will come in handy and you will be thanking me."

As he turned with Heather in the center of the roof, Ed spotted Olivia and Ben watching them and called over, "I think we need to cut this one off," pointing to Heather's head.

"Oh," Heather giggled. "The damage has long been done, _El Cap-i-tan_!"

She pulled out of Ed's grasp, not that his grip had been that tight, and yelled _conga_ , sashaying her hips and trying to coax her son into dancing with her.

"Why don't you join her?" Olivia teased Ben, smacking his shoulder as he pocketed his phone and Ed made a beeline for the safety of his fiancée's embrace.

Ben pretended to think about it for a moment before looking at Olivia once again. "It's just kind of hard to _conga_ to Foreigner, don't you think?"

##

After watching Heather dance the boys around for a while, and shooting a few videos of her own, Olivia slapped her hands onto her thighs and said, "I don't know about anyone else, but I think I'm ready for some dessert…"

As she predicted, this sent Jackson and Noah into a loud fit of excitement, and Heather hurried to grab the supplies for s'mores.

"Have you ever had s'mores, Noah?"

The boy was unsure and looked to Olivia for help answering the question.

"No, he hasn't."

Heather clapped excitedly. "Popping all kinds of life-cherries tonight, aren't we?"

" _Heather_ ," Olivia scolded her friend, laughing.

"What? He doesn't know what it means," she replied innocently. "Noah, s'mores are a summertime rite of passage," she explained. "And lucky for you, your first time is with the Queen of S'mores." She put her hands on her chest. "Moi."

Ed, Olivia and Ben watched in amusement as Heather showed the boys how to make the perfect s'mores, how to roast the marshmallow so there was just enough brown without it being scorched, and how to rotate so all the roast wasn't only on one side.

"And when it's done," she grabbed a box of Thin Mints out of the cooler to her right, "you grab two of these cookies," she looked at both of the boys sternly, adding a side note, _"don't buy into the Hershey's and graham cracker nonsense, Thin Mints are the way to go_ ," the boys giggled and she continued, "you put 'em on either side of the marshmallow, and you pull it off, like so."

The combination of the warm marshmallow and still-chilled cookies lent for an ultra ooey-gooey snack, and after making sure there wasn't any extraneous fluff leaking out the sides, Heather carefully handed the first one off to Noah, who took a sloppy bite before nodding appreciatively.

"Go give your mom a bite," Heather instructed him.

He toddled over, holding his hand out to Olivia's face, and she leaned forward, letting him feed her, and moaning when the combination of mint and marshmallow registered on her tongue. "That's amazing," she said around a mouthful. Heather winked at her.

"Noah, why don't you let Daddy have a bite?"

Noah started to lean toward Ed, holding out the same hand with the last bite of cookie in it, but then at the last second, he brought his hand back to his own mouth, finishing the s'more with a triumphant cackle as Ed watched, mouth agape as if still waiting for the cookie, flabbergasted.

"Did you see that?" Ed asked Olivia, playfully annoyed.

She leaned toward Noah, pulling him into her embrace. "Did you trick Daddy, Noah?" she laughed. Looking toward Ed, "You gotta admit, that was a good one…"

"Wonder who he learned it from," he teased her.

Noah took off laughing; taking the skewer that Heather handed to him when he returned to their makeshift campfire and carefully roasted another marshmallow.

"That's okay," Ed said softly, leaning toward Olivia. "I'll just get a taste from you."

She smiled, recognizing his intent and meeting him halfway, opening her mouth to his tongue and stifling a soft moan as he explored her, tasted her.

"Mm," he hummed as he pulled away. "That _is_ good."

##

Eventually, after fighting sleep for a while, Noah and Jackson finally succumbed to the sandman, comfortably laying side by side on the pool float while the party continued for the adults.

Ben whipped out a travel-sized version of Corn Hole, the boards decorated with the Yankees logo, and they began a friendly couple-on-couple competition.

It was only when Ben had to peel a drunk, clingy Heather off of Olivia that they decided it was time to call it a night, picking up the small items of trash and resolving to come back the next day for the big stuff, the grill still too hot to handle from making s'mores.

Heather leaned against Olivia's shoulder for the short ride down to their floor in the elevator, and when it chimed their arrival, Ed and Olivia inched toward the hallway, bidding Ben a sympathetic goodnight. Poor guy had to wrangle a sleeping toddler, resting like dead weight in his arms, in addition to his plastered, overly affectionate wife.

Heather wrapped her arms around Olivia's neck. "I love you, Liv," she whined in a childlike and almost emotional voice. "You're going to have the best wedding ever," she promised. " _The best_."

"I love you, too, Heather," Olivia laughed. "Be careful, okay?" She raised her eyebrows at Ben. "Drink some water, get some sleep."

The elevator doors closed and Ed and Olivia made their way quietly to their apartment.

"Kind of makes you wonder what she must have been like in college," Ed mused, smirking, looking at Olivia, "if she can still cut loose like that pushing forty."

Olivia chuckled, shaking her head. "I'd rather not… She's a handful enough, now."

Ed and Olivia both took Noah to bed, tucking him beneath the blanket and pressing soft kisses to his forehead before whispered _goodnights_ and _I love yous_.

They got ready for sleep in a comfortable silence, and when they climbed into bed, Olivia didn't hesitate before scooting close to him, pressing herself into his side and resting her head on his shoulder.

He released a contented sigh as he showered her shoulder in feather-light touches with his fingertips.

"That was fun," he concluded sleepily.

"Mhmm," she agreed, pressing her lips to his bare shoulder. "You know, it just occurred to me… That's the first time I've ever really celebrated July 4th." She sounded surprised at her own revelation. "It's kinda nice, having family to do these things with now."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I agree."

"I mean, I was always invited to Elliot's, but I never went." She shifted, holding herself up on her elbow so she could look down at him. His eyes were closed, but at her movement, he peeked one eye open to look at her. "More often that not, I felt like it was a pity invite, y'know? Because I didn't have anyone." Her fingers lightly scratched at his chest, and he opened both eyes at her words.

"That's not the case anymore," he reminded her huskily, reaching a hand down to her left one and bringing it to his lips, kissing the ring he'd put there.

"No," she whispered. "It's not." She felt him nudging her and she leaned up into his waiting lips. "I have a family now," murmured against his mouth.

He deepened their kiss, moaning into her mouth and she worked to get closer and closer to him. He was tired before, the sun and the alcohol wearing him out, but now, all he wanted to do was love her. He could sleep when he was dead.

He gripped her hips, pushing her to her back and using his newfound energy to roll over so he was comfortably on top of her, nestled between her thighs. He pulled away from her lips, dropping a kiss onto the tip of her nose as he gazed down at her. Her hands were traversing his torso; every square inch of him she could reach, alternating between light scratches and gentle caresses, as the mood in the room intensified, the air thick with sexual tension.

"Ed…" she sighed.

He said nothing, his gaze smoldering, igniting a fire deep within her, just for him. He ground his hips into hers unexpectedly, delighting in the guttural moan of surprise that was forced from her mouth, and he dropped down to his elbows, lying on top of her fully.

His hands played with a few errant strands of her hair that were splayed across her pillow and he leaned down, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

"You have a family forever."

##

 **A/N: More wedding stuff next chapter. Thoughts?**

 **Also, it's worth mentioning that I stand completely by the Thin Mint s'mores….**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I wasn't sure I wanted to do this chapter just yet, but I tried other avenues and couldn't really hit a stride, so here you go. Heather makes an appearance and,** _ **gasp**_ **, she's not drunk! Hallelujah! :) So anyway, have some fluff. Nothing's mine 'cept the sequence of the words.**

 **BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER.**

 **##**

"Your buddy's gettin' ready to roll over on you right now, playa," Fin told their suspect, slowly walking in circles around the table in interrogation to keep the tension in the room palpable. "Whoever talks first gets the better deal," he said simply. "What's it gonna be?"

Olivia watched through the one-way glass in her office, nodding as she witnessed the resolve weaken in the man as he realized he was backed into a corner. Amanda saw it, too.

Of course, his friend wasn't talking, wasn't even in an interrogation room. But he didn't have to know that.

"You tell us what happened," Amanda said softly, leaning toward him across the table, "and we'll talk to the DA."

Amanda's eyes were wide with promise, playing her Good Cop role perfectly, tearing down the walls of the stubborn criminal on the other side of the table. She was making him feel safe, comfortable, like whatever he told them, she would understand.

It worked.

"You got a pen?" he asked, somewhat reluctantly.

Silently, Amanda slid a legal pad and pen across the table to him and leaned back in the metal chair. She nodded in the general direction of the one-way glass, knowing that her Lieutenant was watching on the other side.

"Got him," Olivia muttered, turning the sound down on the speaker and making her way back to her desk to catch up on emails before ducking out early for the day to meet Heather. She had finally relented, agreeing to meet her friend to start the process of finding a wedding dress, noting that time was becoming less and less on their side, and she needed to allow for alterations.

Clicking through her emails, she found one that she had to read twice to fully absorb, and she stared at her computer screen dumbly for a moment, a small smile on her face.

"He's on his way to central booking," Rollins announced with a sigh, walking into Olivia's office. She noticed the look on Olivia's face. "Everything okay, Lieutenant?"

"Uh, yeah," Olivia looked up at her charge. " _Sergeant_."

Amanda held her breath. "What?"

"We got the approval," Olivia answered with a small grin.

"I'm getting Sergeant?"

"You are. Congratulations, Amanda," Olivia said. "It's conditional, mind you. Sixty day probationary period before the raise kicks in, but you get the title right away," she explained.

Amanda was dumbstruck. "I can't believe they approved it."

"You're a good detective, Amanda. Good police." She clasped her hands in her lap. "You've struggled with demons, but we all have. You deserve this. Just keep yourself on the right path, and you got this."

"Thanks, Liv," Amanda smiled warmly, heading back toward the squad room. She hesitated in the doorway, her hand resting on the doorknob. "I, uh," she took a deep breath, "I won't let you down."

At this, Olivia chose to say nothing, instead nodding her acknowledgement before the blonde disappeared from her sight.

She sent a few more emails before shutting down her computer with a sigh, trying to seize one final opportunity to mentally prepare for dress shopping with Heather.

"Alright guys," she announced, ambling into the squad room to address her detectives and her new Sergeant. "I'm heading out early—"

"Everything alright, Liv?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I'm meeting Heather to go dress shopping." She nodded at Carisi's raised eyebrows. "I will have my phone." She made eye contact with all three of them. "Please. _Please_ call me if anything crazy comes in or you run short on hands. You will not be interrupting, I promise."

It wasn't often that she hoped to get called out of a personal afternoon for a work crisis, but that's how much she was dreading this process with Heather.

"We got this, Lieu," Carisi nodded, waving her out.

"I know," she said reluctantly, then brightened. "I'm leaving you guys in the capable hands of our new Sergeant."

Carisi and Fin looked at each other before following Liv's eyes to Amanda, who was sitting at her desk with a shy smile.

"No way! You got it, Amanda?" Fin asked.

She nodded. "There's a probationary period," she added. "But I got it."

"She deserves it," Olivia smiled, echoing her earlier sentiment for the rest of the team to hear.

"Yeah, she does," Carisi agreed. "C'mere!" He rose from his seat and crossed the aisle way to embrace her, stepping back as Fin did the same.

"Congratulations, girl."

"Alright, I gotta go. Don't give her a hard time. Call me if you guys need anything," Olivia emphasized, giving them a hard, pleading stare as she turned to walk away.

Once Olivia rounded the corner toward the elevator, Fin turned to look at Amanda, his hands in his pockets and a grin on his face. "Sergeant Rollins," he marveled, shaking his head. "1PP gone and done it now," he teased.

##

"There you are," Heather looked up from her phone as she leaned against the exterior of a midtown bridal shop. She leaned in to kiss Olivia's cheek.

"Sorry I'm a little late," Olivia apologized.

They walked in and were immediately greeted by an assistant, who identified herself as Reese and confirmed the appointment that Heather had made weeks ago.

Reese turned to Olivia, taking a hand in both of hers and shaking warmly. "You must be the bride-to-be," she gushed. "It's nice to meet you, Olivia. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Olivia smiled.

"If you'll just follow me, I'll show you to your dressing room…"

Olivia furrowed her brow and looked from Reese to Heather, who was smirking mischievously. "I thought we would be looking around before I tried anything on?"

Heather shrugged one shoulder. "I _may have_ come early and done a little reconnaissance." Olivia tilted her head and stared at her friend. "I just pulled a pretty dress in a few different styles and necklines so we can narrow down from _simple_ ," she rolled her eyes at Olivia's stipulation from a few weeks ago, "to something a bit more specific." She pushed Olivia toward the dressing room. "We need to know likes and dislikes, Liv. Otherwise it's going to take us forever to find what you want. Trust me," she implored.

Once Olivia was forced into the dressing room, Heather took a proffered flute of champagne from Reese and relaxed on the couch just outside the door.

"Which one are you trying on first?"

"The white one," Olivia cracked.

"I forget how funny you are sometimes," Heather deadpanned.

Olivia smirked victoriously as she stood before about a dozen different dresses, stripped down to her bra and panties. She thumbed through her selection, stumbling across one that had a nice enough neckline, but full-length lace sleeves with intricate beading all down the arms. She scrunched her nose, pulling it off the rack and holding it out to Heather through the curtain.

"We can cross this off the list immediately," she told her. "Too much lace. Too… _antiquey_."

Heather laughed, taking the dress and giving it to Reese with a knowing smile. "I had a feeling." She took a sip from her champagne and scolded her friend. "The next time I see a body part of yours it better have a wedding dress on it."

"Yeah, yeah…" Heather heard, following by rustling fabric. "Okay," she announced, pushing the curtain of the dressing room aside and stepping out, excess fabric bunched in her hands. She looked to Reese. "Do you have anything to…" she struggled to find words, pinching her hands and miming toward the back of the dress, which was a couple sizes too big and threatening to flash all the occupants of the dressing room area.

"Here you go," Reese pinned the back of the dress with what looked suspiciously like a chip-clip, before gathering the train and helping Olivia walk toward the raised platform in front of three mirrors in the center of the room. Reese and Heather immediately set to work on smoothing out the skirt of the dress before stepping back and scrutinizing.

"What do you think?" Heather asked.

Olivia hesitated as she looked at herself. Though neither of them said anything in the moment, waiting on Olivia's assessment, Reese and Heather shared a glance that confirmed this was not the dress.

"I don't know," Olivia finally spoke, grimacing slightly. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of tulle. She liked fluffy, frilly things as much as the next person sometimes, but her feminism was more often understated, and she felt like nothing was understated about the dress she was standing in. It didn't feel like her.

Heather nodded. "Then let's move on. You look beautiful," she assured. "But if you even have to think about it, this isn't it."

Olivia made her way back to the dressing room. "Just like that? I'm going to know just like that?"

"Pretty much," Heather confirmed.

"Didn't you know your fiancé was the one just like that?" Reese asked. "I hate to generalize, because everyone is different, but we get so many girls in here who _just know_ \- about the groom, _and_ the dress."

"Well," Heather laughed, "she and her groom got together under different circumstances than most people."

"This sounds like a good story," Reese said, a twinkle in her eye.

"It's not as good as Heather makes it sound," Olivia interjected from behind the curtain, setting the dress she just took off to the side and arbitrarily picking one from the rack to try on next.

"He arrested you, for Pete's sake," Heather said, nodding as Reese's eyes widened. "How many betrothed couples can say that?"

"Yes, but that was years ago," Olivia argued, coming out of the dressing room in a dress that finally, mercifully, made Heather speechless. She smiled shyly as she made her way to the platform again, holding still as Reese clipped her dress shut. "Heather," she called. "Pick your jaw up off the floor and come over here."

Olivia was standing in an off-white spaghetti-strapped dress that, with the assistance of the clip, fit snugly to the curves of her body all the way down to just shy of her knees before it flared out ever so slightly. Around her waist was a belt made of thick ribbon that Reese told her could be ordered to match just about any color scheme they went with the for the wedding, so she wouldn't clash. There weren't any extraneous details on the dress - no beads, no lace, and no intricate patterns sewn onto the fabric. It just barely skimmed the floor as Olivia stood, and there was no train.

It was simple.

"Please tell me you like this one," Heather breathed, as her eyes traveled up and down Olivia's body.

"I do. It's perfect." Olivia sighed regretfully.

"I'm sensing a _but_ coming," Heather whined.

For a moment, Olivia said nothing, running her hands along the fabric over her stomach, hips, and then upper thighs, tilting her head slightly as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was a beautiful dress; there was no denying that. And it checked off all the important boxes on her Must List. "I just can't picture walking down the aisle toward Ed in this," she explained.

Reese nodded her understanding. "Well," she said, "at least we know we're on the right track with this one."

Just to be thorough, the next two dresses Olivia tried on boasted different necklines, one a Queen Anne style and the other a halter. However, when Heather shook her head no immediately upon seeing Olivia in both styles, she felt comfortable eliminating them from consideration.

"So what did your fiancé arrest you for?" Reese asked.

Before Olivia could respond, Heather jumped in, grinning and wiggling her eyes as she said scandalously, "Murder."

"He was just doing his job," Olivia defended. "Someone tried to frame me." She shimmied into the next dress, this one strapless. "And did a damn good job of it, I might add."

"Well, that'll be something to tell the grandkids," Reese joked.

"Or not," Olivia chuckled.

"So, how did you get together, if you don't mind me asking? Especially with that history…"

Olivia couldn't fight the smile that stretched her lips when she thought of Ed and those first few weeks. She hadn't even realized that what they were doing was dating until he finally built up the nerve to kiss her after seeing her home from the bar they were drinking at one night.

She felt her heart flutter at the memory, how he'd been so tentative with her until she pressed her lips more firmly against his, the spark between them that she had been wondering about suddenly becoming undeniable, a veritable inferno of attraction.

She stood in the dressing room, privately admiring the latest dress adorning her curves as she gave Reese the abridged version of her and Ed's love affair. "I've been alone my whole life," she said. "I let my job consume me from very early on, and I had a really hard time letting people in, accepting help when I needed it." She smoothed the fabric against her thighs thinking about the tumultuous year she'd had, how he had helped see her through the trauma of it all. "Ed became my rock. I could need him, need to just lose it completely and cry, and he never made me feel like I was weak or inferior for it."

"When did you know he was the one?"

"I don't know that there was any _one_ thing that made a light bulb go off in my head that said, _you're going to marry this guy_ ," Olivia shared after a moment of reflection. "I didn't know if he even wanted to, since he'd been burned in the past." She sighed, remembering the night he'd told her what his ex did, how she'd broken his heart so thoroughly that it had taken nearly two decades for him to feel like he could trust someone else again, how proud she was when he revealed that she had helped get him there. "It was more a bunch of little things. How he is with Noah—"

"Her son," Heather explained quietly. "He's three."

"All the walls I'd had up my whole life all came down completely with him," Olivia continued, feeling herself get emotional thinking about everything that Ed and their relationship meant to her. "I don't need to hide what I'm feeling. One look at me, and he just knows. We just have this connection…"

It wasn't like her to share such intimate details of her life – romantic or otherwise – with what amounted to a perfect stranger, but Olivia found herself swept away in the moment, the poignancy of standing in a bridal shop trying on wedding dresses affecting her more than she anticipated it would when they had walked in.

She'd spent so much time dreading having to wrangle Heather, she hadn't given much thought to the activity of dress shopping itself, or what it meant.

She was getting married.

The statement sounded no less surreal in her head now than it had weeks ago, when Ed had proposed.

"Liv," Heather cried, "not that I'm not enjoying every second of this synopsis of your sickeningly sweet relationship, but are you _ever_ coming back out here?"

"Just a sec," she whispered.

She took another moment to admire the dress in the mirror, knowing that the wisdom Heather and Reese had passed on earlier had been correct. _When it's right, you'll know it_.

She heard Heather and Reese talking softly in the sitting area just on the other side of the curtain as she slowly pushed it aside, stepping out to greet them with a small smile on her face.

When they failed to notice her appearance in the room, she cleared her throat, subtly commanding their attention. She watched with teary eyes as two jaws dropped, and both the women became similarly verklempt with the sight before them.

She looked down at the dress, rearranging the skirt before meeting Heather's eyes again. "I think this is it."

##

"You're home early," Ed called from the couch when he heard the door open an hour later. She hadn't told him that she was going dress shopping with Heather today.

Olivia appeared from the foyer and gave him a soft smile as she hung her purse on the coat rack. "I left the squad in the capable hands of the new Sergeant."

Ed raised his eyebrows in surprise. "They approved it?" Olivia nodded. "Wow," he marveled. "Good for Rollins."

"Mhmm." She curled up into his side on the couch, reaching out and grasping his cheek to gently pull his mouth to hers in a tender kiss. "Noah napping?"

Ed nodded. "Rough day at daycare."

"It's a hard-knock life," she sighed dramatically. "What happened?"

"Nothing major that the teacher could tell me," he shrugged. "I think he's just cranky." She hummed, wrapping her arm around his waist and resting her head on his chest. He could sense a difference in her demeanor from her normal, and he squeezed her shoulders with the arm he had wrapped around her. "Hey." She lifted her head to look at him. "You okay?"

She leaned forward, her lips meeting his softly, the kiss breaking before she leaned in again, this time with a firmer touch. "Perfect," she smiled.

There was still something different about her, but not _bad_ different, necessarily, so he let it go for the time being. But all through the evening, preparing dinner and feeding Noah, he kept feeling her gaze on him. Every time his eyes met hers, he was surprised at the desire he could see in the warm brown depths of her irises, the flush of her olive skin. He felt like he was burning up from the inside out.

When it was time for Noah to go to bed, though it was still early for them, he turned everything off and retreated to their bedroom. He was standing in the middle of it when she came in after giving Noah one last kiss goodnight.

The look in her eyes was practically feral as she stalked toward him.

"Are you going to t—?"

Her lips landing softly but ferociously on his interrupted him. Her tongue probed his mouth thoroughly as his hands found her hips and he struggled slightly to keep up with her amorous attack.

When she released his mouth to pull his shirt up over his head, he tried asking again what spurred on this passionate rendezvous, but she shushed him and continued pawing at him, deftly disrobing him while marking his neck and chest with her teeth and tongue.

He shuddered and groaned appropriately as her hands traveled the length of his body, succumbing to her ministrations and submitting to the control she obviously needed to exert over him tonight.

Pushing him back onto the bed, she set about removing her own clothing, her eyes never leaving his as vast expanses of her smooth skin were revealed to him.

She couldn't remember a time in their romantic relationship where she hadn't wanted him, but her unexpected trip down memory lane at the bridal shop, standing in the dress she'd be wearing when she became his wife, stoked the fire inside her that was always burning for him.

"Liv," he pleaded. He was breathing heavily, his arousal evident as he lay back on their bed, propping himself up on his elbows. She felt goose bumps erupt all over her body as his eyes devoured her.

Climbing onto the bed, she straddled his hips, placing her hands on his neck as she pulled him up to meet her in a deep, searing kiss.

"Touch me," she whispered. He complied, enveloping her breasts in his strong hands, kneading them and swallowing her moans of approval into another kiss.

She rolled her hips over his arousal, teasing them both torturously until she finally reached between them and guided him inside her.

She loved him slowly, thoroughly, whispering soft words of encouragement to him as he moved his hips in time with hers, his hands never staying in one place on her body for long.

Their eyes were locked as they moved together, and her moans went higher as her orgasm threatened, her hips moving faster over him. " _Yes_ , baby…"

"Liv," he gasped, his hands guiding her now erratic movements as he felt the first spasms of her release. "Oh, God… Baby, let go."

His voice was her undoing and she fell forward, her body twitching and convulsing around him as she felt his hips surge upward, cresting his own peak with a strangled groan.

Olivia remained on top of him, her chest stuck to his, her face nestled into his neck as he lazily traced her spine with his fingers. They lay silently for several minutes letting their heart rates return to normal and catching their breath.

"Not that I'm complaining, because I'm definitely not…" she chuckled against his neck. "But what brought that on?" he asked her curiously.

"I went shopping with Heather today," she murmured. "I found it."

"It?"

She adjusted herself, clasping her hands together on his chest and resting her chin there so she could meet his eyes. "My wedding dress."

His eyes darkened faintly at her admission, and his hands rubbed her upper arms. "Oh yeah?"

Olivia nodded against his chest, smiling slightly. "And I was talking to the girl at the shop about you," she moved one hand to caress his chest, teasing around his nipples, smiling when he hissed, "and about us. And I was just thinking about how much I love you."

Ed weaved his fingers through her hair, pulling her down for a kiss. "I love you, too."

She continued. "How lucky I am to have you. How lucky Noah is to have a father like you. How I can't wait to be your wife." She punctuated each statement with another kiss of his lips.

"One dress made you think about all that?" He chuckled, resting his forehead against hers and pulling her further into his chest.

She smirked at him, lifting an eyebrow playfully. "It's a pretty nice dress," she said, then added in a whisper, "You'll see."

"I can't wait."

##

 **A/N: Probably not my best… and no Noah, so that's two strikes, right? I promise he'll be back next chapter. Drop me a line, let me know what you think.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I could do a mile long note here, but I won't. I'll simply settle for I'M SORRY it took so long to get this updated and THANK YOU for still caring about the story. Oh, and I really, truly hope it's worth the wait. Or, at least, isn't awful.**

 **I'm rambling.**

 **Here goes…**

 **##**

"Are we ready?"

Olivia smiled as Ed groaned, pushing against his knees as he lifted himself on the couch. "I think so." She spared him the wisecrack about getting older, and watched with fondness as he took Noah by surprise and gathered the young boy in his arms, upside down. "You ready to go swim, bud?"

Noah squealed, arms flailing and his face sporting a wide grin. "We splash!"

"That's right, my love," Olivia cooed, walking up to them in the living room and scratching his stomach lightly.

When Noah started squirming more, Ed set him down on his feet before he hurt himself, and leaned forward to kiss Olivia softly. "You have everything?"

"All set," she said.

Heather had called and invited them to an impromptu barbecue on their roof that day, and promised a kiddie pool for the boys to splash around in since the day promised to be a scorcher.

Olivia lifted her tote bag filled with towels, sun screen, some toys for Noah and a bottle of wine to share with Heather, but she stopped with the straps mid-way to her shoulder when her phone began ringing from her pocket.

As soon as the sound registered, she and Ed shared a look, their sixth senses kicking in, both intuitively knowing that Ed would now be escorting Noah to the barbecue alone.

Looking down at the screen, Olivia sighed. "It's the Chief."

"Take it," Ed told her. "We'll wait." He palmed the top of Noah's head as the boy played with a transformer action figure in his hand, still oblivious at the change in their plans.

Olivia took the call into the kitchen, keeping her voice lowered as she paced the galley. Finally, she hung up, walking toward Ed with a look of resignation on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said, kissing him softly and running a hand down his arm before intertwining their fingers. "I have to go in."

"Don't worry about it," he assured her. "It happens."

"I'll try not to be too late." She said it, but they both knew that the way this would play out was far beyond what she could control. If the chief was calling to pull her into a case, it wasn't good.

"Mommy catch bad guy?" Noah asked, looking up at his mother with wide eyes.

"Yeah, baby. There's a girl who needs Mommy's help." She kneeled down to be eye-level with him. "You give Jackson and your Aunt Heather a big hug for me, though, okay?"

"'Kay," Noah nodded.

Olivia reached for his hands and squeezed them gently. "Can you show me how big of a hug you're gonna give them?" She beamed as he launched himself into her arms, squeezing her as tight as he could. "Such a good hug," she sighed, smiling up at Ed as Noah moved to disentangle himself from her. "Be a good boy for Daddy, okay?"

"I the best man," Noah reminded her, and Olivia stood, rolling her eyes playfully at Ed as she did.

Ed reached for her hand, giving it a firm squeeze as he opened the door and led Noah out of the apartment. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Please be careful."

"I will," she promised. "I love you."

As the door shut behind them, she heard Noah shout, "We lub you, Mommy!" and she chuckled, heading back into the bedroom to change from the casual Saturday outfit she wore into something more befitting of a CO before meeting Rollins at Mercy.

##

After a lunch of mainly finger foods, Ben and Ed set up the kiddie pool for the boys and pulled up lawn chairs to watch the antics. It was like watching a real-life reenactment of Sharknado. The Toddler Version. But the afternoon sun was a wicked force, and when the heat became unbearable even for the adults, they ushered the boys back inside to the AC.

"So, Olivia caught a case?"

It was late afternoon and the adults were seated around the kitchen island while the boys were entertained with a Pixar movie in the living room.

Ed nodded, taking a swig of his beer.

"I don't know how you guys deal with all that," Ben shook his head.

"All what?"

"Getting called in like that, at the last minute."

Ed shrugged. It was hard sometimes, but they were both used to it, it had been their lives for years, long before they had to worry about anyone other than themselves. There were elements of it that were easier now, because leaving someone at home at all hours meant that there was someone there to come home to. It was a trade-off, one he knew they would both gladly take, even if it meant missing things like this sometimes.

"Someone's gotta do it."

Ben turned on the kitchen TV to the evening news, and they all made small talk, half listening to the reports of what depraved and tragic things had taken place in their city that day. Toward the end, they heard the anchor introduce a police statement on the rape of a socialite that had occurred overnight, and all of a sudden, Olivia's face was on the TV screen as she gave a statement.

"Oh my god," Heather squealed. She scrambled for her phone to take a picture as Ed and Ben listened to what she was saying.

"…No suspects at this time…"

"…Manhattan's Special Victims Unit is investigating…"

"…If you have any details that can help…"

"Well," Ben sighed, popping a grape in his mouth. "That doesn't look good."

Ed shook his head. Based on the lighting, he knew this footage had been recorded probably a couple of hours earlier, and the grim outlook of the investigation thus far told him that his fiancée was in for a long night.

"I can't believe she was on TV," Heather said, impressed.

"If only it was for something other than a press conference about a rape," Ed mused.

"Of course, but still. Even with the subject matter, she's a bad ass." They turned to the screen as the network aired B-roll of the scene. "Look at her, bein' all Lady-in-Charge," Heather said proudly.

Ed chuckled. Watching Olivia during a press conference was nothing if you wanted to see her take charge of a situation. It was a sight to behold.

He lingered for a while, but as it neared 8 o'clock, he stood from his stool and tossed his long-empty beer bottle in the recycle bin. "We better get going, guys. Thanks for today."

"Sure, thing," Ben shook Ed's hand as they made their way into the living room.

They all paused when they saw Jackson and Noah curled up together on the couch. Heather looked to Ed, "Why don't you let him stay here tonight, Ed? Enjoy a night of bachelordom," she teased.

Ed tilted his head, eyeing the boys as he considered her offer. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Ben assured him. "He's comfortable. We've got clothes he can wear. Let's all meet up tomorrow and make the handoff."

Ed nodded, crouching down next to the couch and gently rubbing Noah's head. He saw the boy's eyes flick open briefly and he asked in a hushed whisper if he wanted to spend the night here with Jackson. Noah nodded sleepily, a move that could've been interpreted as almost anything, before nestling back into the couch and succumbing to the exhaustion borne of too many hours in the heat.

"I guess I'll go, then," Ed said, making his way toward the door. "Just call me if he needs anything or wants to come home."

"Will do," Heather assured him. "Enjoy a night to yourself for a change, Ed."

##

Ed walked into the apartment and dropped his keys by the door. He stood, surveying the open living room and kitchen in front of him, listening to the silence.

 _Now what?_

Since moving in with Olivia and Noah, he couldn't recall a time when he was the only one home, at least not under circumstances like this. Not for a whole night. The stillness was jarring.

He busied himself, first with pouring bourbon, then with folding laundry. Olivia would be happy that he finally pitched in on a household chore. _Maybe she would reward him_ , he thought with a smirk.

Then, he ventured into Noah's room, smiling in amusement at the veritable disaster of toys and books he found in there. He straightened up, setting everything in its rightful place or, if he didn't know where that was, put it to the side so it wasn't a hazard. He had stepped on a few too many action figures since he became a fixture of their lives here.

Done with that task, he made his way back to the living room and plopped onto the couch, putting his feet up and turning on the TV.

During his third round of browsing through the guide, he gave up on his vain attempt to find something numb and mindless to get sucked into. He was going stir-crazy. Eyeing the bookshelves, he scoured the titles for something that looked interesting before ultimately deciding he wasn't in the mood to read.

What to do?

Ed flipped through his phone, playing a few rounds of DOTS before closing that app and checking his messages. It was futile; he knew there wouldn't be any. She was probably up to her eyeballs in bullshit from Dodds and 1PP trying to get this case closed.

Looking at the time, he made a quick decision, and jumped off the couch toward the bedroom to change.

##

Olivia paced the media room, gesturing as she fired off questions to the squad. It was late, they'd been at this all day long, but so far had come up empty. The only suspect they had was able to provide an airtight alibi. Street cams had, so far, yielded nothing. Any bystanders that may have been in the area weren't speaking up.

"Where are we with the cameras in the bodega?" she asked, pausing in her pacing to look at the crime scene photos on the board at the head of the room.

"TARU's working on cleanin' em up," Fin shared, looking at her over the screen of his laptop.

She cocked her hip, staring into space, trying to will her brain to come up with something fresh, something they could work off of.

"You guys look like a sorry bunch," Ed teased, walking into the room, arms laden with takeout and drink caddies.

Olivia whipped around at the sound of his voice. "Ed," she smiled tiredly, approaching him and running a hand along his forearm in a small display of affection once he deposited the bags on the table. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, leaning in and kissing her cheek as he unloaded takeout containers and liberated coffees from the caddies. "I thought you guys might be hungry. And I've tasted the coffee you have here. It's awful." He handed her a cup. "Here. It's not Dean and Deluca, but it's better than that garbage," he jutted his chin in the direction of the coffee pot in the squad room.

"My hero," Olivia purred teasingly.

He smirked at her before turning his attention back to Carisi, Fin and Rollins. "I wasn't sure what everyone likes, so I just got a bit of everything. Help yourselves to whatever." Ed picked up a separate bag, holding it out to Olivia. "This is yours." He smiled at her. "Your office, Lieutenant?"

Olivia turned to her squad, mouth open and ready to speak, when Rollins smiled knowingly. "We're fine, Liv. Take a break. We got this. Thanks for the food, Captain."

"You bet."

##

"This is a nice surprise," she said, smiling at him slyly as she unloaded her Szechuan chicken from the bag.

"I missed you." He settled back against an armrest on the couch. "The apartment was too quiet."

She nodded in understanding. Her being called away wasn't out of the ordinary, in fact it was almost common, but it was definitely a rare thing to not have at least Noah in the apartment.

"We saw the press conference," Ed shared, between bites.

Olivia chuckled. "I know, Heather sent me a picture of me on TV," she rolled her eyes. "How was it today?"

"It was fun," he said simply. ""What do you know about Telegram?"

She furrowed her brow, tilting her head in confusion. "Uh…I know it was a method of communication used during WWII?"

Now it was his turn to look confused. "What? No." He whipped out his phone. "It was an app?"

"Instagram?" She grinned.

"Yes, Instagram," he rolled his eyes at her amusement. "Whatever…"

"So what about it?"

"What is it?"

"Social media. You share pictures." She took her phone from her pocket and located the app, handing the phone over so he could see for himself.

"You're on here?"

"I have an account," she nodded.

He scrolled through her newsfeed, seeing lots of photos of Amanda's dog and a few of her daughter. He raised an eyebrow at a photo of Carisi and Jesse.

"What kinds of things do _you_ share?"

She took another bite while she thought about it. She wasn't a frequent poster; not near the volume that some of the younger generation put out there. "I don't know… pretty pictures I take of flowers or nature, I share photos of Noah on there," she told him, adding shyly, "there might be a couple of you and me."

He smirked at her subtle flirtation, but skirted around it for now. "You post pictures of Noah?"

"I do," she said, but sensing where his questioning was going, she put a hand on his thigh in reassurance. "Only the people I let follow me can see them, don't worry." He nodded. "I've seen way too much of the ugliness of social media to put him at risk like that," she shook her head.

"Good."

"How did _you_ stumble upon Instagram, old man?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. _Who are you calling old?_

"Heather was explaining to me the benefits of having an official hashtag," he used air quotes for the last two words, "for the wedding," he said dryly. He leveled her with a look that seemed to say _you owe me_ as she chuckled over her rice.

"That sounds like Heather," she grinned. "What did you say?"

"I said, what the hell's a hashtag?" he said incredulously, as if there were no other response to Heather's suggestion. "Those things used to be called pound signs." Olivia laughed. "When did that change?"

"Sometime when you weren't looking, I guess," she jibed.

Olivia closed her takeout container and set it on the coffee table, resettling herself so that her head was resting against the arm Ed had outstretched along the back of the couch. She regarded him tenderly.

"This was really sweet of you," she observed. "Taking care of my squad."

"Taking care of you was the goal," Ed said. "They were a fringe benefit."

She smiled. "You're always taking care of me." The mood shifted as they sat there gazing at each other, and Olivia moved to lean in toward his lips. Just as they were about to touch his, he pulled back – just a fraction, but she noticed. "What is it?"

"Where's Carisi?"

Her face screwed up in confusion as she quirked her head, then turned to look through the slats in the blinds. "He's out there with Fin and Amanda looking at surveillance footage?" She still didn't understand why he needed to know _right then_ where her detective was.

"Good," Ed said, and then his lips were on hers and she smiled, putting two and two together.

…

"Do they not realize we can see them?" Carisi averted his gaze from Olivia's office, sighing in discomfort as he tried to ignore what was happening beyond the glass.

Rollins glanced up, smirking at Carisi's prudish reaction. "They're just kissing."

" _Now_ they're just kissing," Carisi retorted. "In a few minutes, though…"

Fin held a hand up. "Do not finish that sentence. I don't need that in my head."

"Just concentrate on watching the footage and don't worry about what's going on over there," Rollins instructed Carisi.

"Sure thing, _Sarge_."

…

Ed and Olivia teased each other with kisses; one would move to deepen the connection only slightly before withdrawing, both dimly aware that they were still in her office, and her blinds were still open to the squad room outside.

Olivia pulled her lips from his, her palm against his face, giving him a sultry smile as she retreated, putting some distance between them before they went farther than they could come back from.

"We should…"

"Yeah," he agreed quickly, sighing as he ran his free hand, the one that wasn't on her thigh, down his face. "How late do you think you'll be tonight?"

She smirked at the undercurrent of arousal she could hear in his tone and knew that, like her, he was anxious to continue what they started somewhere not so near the prying, curious eyes of her squad.

Straightening up the now empty takeout containers on her coffee table, she stood, reaching a hand out to him and helping him up. "I don't know," she said honestly. "Hopefully not too much later."

He nodded his understanding. "How bad is it?" He gestured his head toward where her squad was planted around the conference table, theorizing and dissecting what little evidence they had.

She leaned against the edge of her desk, watching her detectives through the window as she answered him, a melancholy look finding its way to her face. "We don't have much to go on," she spoke softly. "Dodds and the brass are all over this one, because of the vic." She shook her head exasperatedly, meeting his eyes. "I should probably get back out there."

"Yeah." He threaded their fingers together, subtly pulling her toward him for a final, chaste kiss. "Wake me up when you get home."

Her lips lifted in a sexy half-smile. "I can do that," she nodded, her voice oozing sexuality. Standing up straight, she walked toward her office door, pulling him behind her with the hand still intertwined with his. "C'mon. I'll walk you to the elevator."

As they walked out of her office, Fin called out to them, "You headin' out, Captain?"

Ed nodded. "I'm gonna let you guys get some work done." He squeezed her hand. "Catch the guy, wouldja? Don't let this one stay too late." He jerked his head in Olivia's direction and winked at her when she rolled her eyes.

"I'll be right back, guys."

As they approached the elevator, Olivia gave him a shy smile. "Thank you for coming down here. I needed this."

He pressed the down button to call the elevator and shrugged, "Of course."

"Do we have a plan for getting Noah back tomorrow?"

"They're going to take the boys to the park in the morning and probably bring him home around lunchtime."

"Sounds good."

She stepped into him with a small smile, relishing the feeling of his arms wrapped around her for a beat before the elevator dinged its arrival and they separated. "I love you," she told him.

"Love you, too," he said, stepping into the elevator.

Their eyes remained locked as the doors closed, and she released a contented sigh as she turned to head back to her squad, the case. The job was what it was, but somehow, knowing he would be waiting for her at home, it always made the hard days a little easier to get through.

##

Olivia stirred late the next morning, her mind vaguely registering the sound of the shower shutting off as she blindly reached for Ed behind her, her hand making contact only with cold sheets.

Breathing in through her nose, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, leaning toward the nightstand to look at her phone. 10 o'clock. Even working late, she'd managed to get almost a full eight hours.

Nestling back into the pillows, she listened to the faint noises coming from the bathroom as Ed wrapped up his shower. With a smirk, she threw the comforter off of her and determinedly made her way toward the bathroom.

"Good morning," she purred, wrapping her arms around his towel-clad waist and pressing her chest into his back.

"Morning." He eyed her in the mirror as he dried his face with a hand towel. "You're in a good mood," he observed.

His breath caught as one of her hands drifted from his waist, just above the towel, to just below the knot. She was about to slide her hand inside, when he grabbed her wrist and stilled her.

His amused and aroused eyes found her confused ones in the mirror, and he pulled her hand up to his lips for a gentle kiss.

"As much as I would love that," he rasped, "Heather is going to be here soon."

"Why?" she whined, burying her face between his shoulder blades. "I thought they were bringing Noah later, after the park?"

"Ben is. Heather texted. She wants to go over wedding logistics on the roof," Ed smirked at her before turning around in her arms so they were chest-to-chest.

"And you agreed?" Ed shot her a look that said, _really,_ and she acquiesced. "I know, I know." She planted kisses across his chest. "It just sucks, the first time in forever we're both here and we have the whole apartment to ourselves, and we can't even take advantage…" She opened her lips against him and scraped his skin with her teeth, lips curving into a smile at the muted groan he released.

He moved his hands to her shoulders, gently pushing her away. He could feel his body starting to react to her proximity and her kisses, and they didn't have nearly the kind of time he would need to properly show her how much she'd been missed while their schedules had been crazy the past few weeks. "Liv…"

"Fine," she pouted. "Finish up in here. I'll take a shower when you're done." She let her eyes rake over him head to toe once more before she turned on her heels and headed for the kitchen to get coffee started.

Heather would be the death of her.

##

Ed and Olivia followed Heather off the elevator and onto the roof, hand in hand, and listened as she rattled off item after item of outstanding things they would have to coordinate and plan before the wedding.

"I spoke to your Super," Heather added, ignoring the glance the couple exchanged that seem to convey _of course she did_ in amused annoyance, as she walked backward toward the area of the roof they were leaning toward for the ceremony. "He's got a canopy we can use for the altar," she grinned. "Apparently you two aren't the first to use this roof as a wedding venue."

"Great," Olivia placated her.

"So we can put maybe some tulle or white lights on that," Heather continued. "And you can rent some room dividers to block a little of the AC units."

Olivia and Ed nodded, looking around. There weren't many of them, and they were mostly concentrated to one area - the one they didn't plan on using - but room dividers would help to enclose the space they would be in, perhaps make it a bit more intimate, too.

"I'm a little concerned about noise when those kick on," Heather shared, biting her lip. She looked to Ed. "Do you know how often they come on?"

"It probably depends on the settings of the thermostats," Ed shrugged. "But it'll be fall – I bet most people will only have the heat on in the early morning or the evening. We should be okay."

"Right, right," Heather made some notes on her phone and Olivia squeezed Ed's hand, rolling her eyes playfully when she got his attention. Heather walked over to the railing. "So what do you guys think about right here for your altar?" she asked, using air quotes for the last word.

"I like it," Olivia nodded. She stepped toward the railing and looked out onto the city with a wistful smile. "The view from here is beautiful." Turning, she leaned back against the railing. "This should make for some really great pictures."

"It will," Heather agreed.

"What do you think, babe?"

Ed nodded. "You guys just tell me where to stand, and I'll be there." Walking up to Olivia, he took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. "It almost doesn't even matter what the view is. I'm only going to be looking at you."

Olivia sighed, shaking her head with a smile as her hands grasped his forearms, pulling him just a bit closer.

" _How sweet_ ," Heather said. She was about to mime a dry heave at Ed's saccharine declaration when her phone rang in her purse. "Shit," she said, looking at the screen. "Give me a second, guys. It's the store."

Ed and Olivia stepped away from the railing a little. "So, last chance — you're sure you're okay with this location?"

Ed nodded. "I think it's perfect."

Heather rejoined them a moment later. "We have a delivery crisis at the store, so I've gotta run." She leaned in and kissed both Ed and Olivia on the cheek. "We'll continue this soon - I still have questions!"

"Call me later," Olivia nodded.

"Do a dry run or something," Heather told them, waving her hands dismissively as she approached the doorway to the elevator. Olivia shook her head, turning to face Ed fully as Heather disappeared from view.

He reached for her hands and pulled her to him. "So," he started, pushing a tendril of loose hair behind her ear. "On this spot, in about eight weeks, you and I will officially be married."

"We will."

She bit her lip to fight the smile trying to stretch across her face at the playful look in his eyes.

He took a small step toward her, swinging their hands at their sides. "Should we practice?"

"Practice what, Captain?" she teased, tilting her head in mock confusion.

Another step closer. "For when Munch tells me I can kiss my bride…"

"Let's see what you got," she challenged, and he smirked, stepping into her and letting go of her hands in favor of cupping her cheeks. His lips covered hers, suckling gently before releasing them and leaning back in, pressing more firmly against her.

He opened his mouth to her, his tongue seeking entrance to spar with hers, and he swallowed her whimper when they connected. He felt her fingers grip the material of his t-shirt at his sides, and he let his hands slide from her cheeks to cup the back of her neck, holding her more tightly to him as he continued to ravage her mouth.

Needing air, she tore her lips from his, angling her head as he descended on her neck. "I think we might want to tone it down a bit on the day of," she chuckled breathlessly.

"Spoil sport," he quipped. He raked his teeth over the sensitive skin just behind her ear and wrapped his arms around her waist when her body sagged at the unexpected sensations he was sending coursing through her.

"Ed…"

He hummed in response, his hands making their way under the hem of her shirt to rest on the bare skin of her stomach and lower back. Her skin erupted in goose bumps at the contact and she couldn't suppress the shiver that went down her spine.

"Baby, d'you think we should take this somewhere…not the roof?"

His lips found hers again and she was loath to stop his tongue's gentle exploration, letting out a small moan when she felt his hands land on her behind giving it a gentle squeeze.

"There's no one up here, Liv. No one would ever know…"

She opened her eyes, putting a hand to his chest and gently pushing him away so she could look in his eyes. "You're serious." She smirked. " _Here_?"

He shrugged, his eyes sparkling with want, skin red with arousal. "Why not?"

##

It took her all of two seconds to think about his proposition before her lustful eyes locked with his and her lips broke into a wily grin.

His eyes widened. " _Really_?" He hadn't expected her to agree – if nothing else, he thought she'd insist they go back downstairs and take advantage of the Noah- free apartment like she'd wanted to earlier. He gripped her hips firmly in his hands, his eyes darting between hers. "Are you sure?"

She stepped into him further so their bodies were touching, shrugging as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "No one will ever know, right?" she asked, tossing his words back at him.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph…" he husked, letting his fingertips sneak up underneath the hem of her shirt again.

"Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we gonna do this, or—?"

She didn't finish her thought before he interrupted her, capturing her lips and swallowing her surprised moan as he probed her mouth with his tongue. Her hands flew from his waist to around his neck, fingernails scratching lightly at his nape as he gently pushed them toward the railing.

Her lower back made contact with the concrete and she grunted at the impact.

"Sorry," he breathed between kisses.

She shook her head, her lips chasing his. "S'okay."

His hand snaked down between them, unbuttoning and unzipping her shorts before pushing them over her hips and letting gravity carry them down to her ankles. When she felt his hand dip into her panties, finding her wet with arousal, she threw her head back and released a moan from deep in her belly. It felt like it had been such a long time since he'd touched her like this.

"Shit, I missed that," he grunted in her ear, tracing the shell of it with his tongue before sucking the lobe into his mouth.

"Take 'em off," she pleaded, reaching down and pushing her own underwear down to meet the shorts at her feet.

As his hands moved to knead her breasts over her shirt, she busied herself with undoing his shorts, pushing them and his briefs down far enough to free him and smirking with pride when he yelped as soon as her hand wrapped around his length.

"I want you," he moaned, his forehead falling to her shoulder as she stroked him.

She planted a feather-light kiss to his ear; easily the most tender move exchanged between the two so far in this tryst, and whispered, "I'm yours."

With that, she lifted one leg around his waist, feeling him grip the back of her thigh in support, and positioned him at her entrance. Just before he pushed inside of her, he met her eyes, using his free hand to caress her face.

"I love you."

She smiled, kissing him softly. "I love you, too."

He pushed into her slowly but firmly, burying himself to the hilt with the first thrust, and they released simultaneous moans of pleasure. Olivia reached blindly for something to hold onto, her hand wrapping around the iron of the handrail for the ladder that led to the fire escape, and she gripped it firmly, using the leverage it gave her to meet each of Ed's thrusts with ones of her own.

" _Oh, Christ_ ," Ed breathed into her neck.

Olivia hummed, using the hand that wasn't holding onto the ladder for dear life to bring his lips to hers, dipping her tongue into his mouth teasingly to taste him but unable to devote the attention needed to maintain a real, thorough kiss.

The sounds were erotic.

From their moans and the sound of their bodies slapping together, to the clang of Ed's belt buckle against the ladder as he thrust, to the street noise that carried up to them… It all heightened the sensations that were lighting their nerve-endings on fire. And though the likelihood of being busted was probably slim – this wasn't exactly a _public_ venue - the thought that it _could_ happen was more of a turn-on than Olivia expected.

"Ed," Olivia gasped as he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her. She closed her eyes, palming the back of his head as she threw her own back in pleasure. " _Harder_."

"Fuck."

"That's it," she moaned. "Right there." She leaned her head toward his, their foreheads meeting, her hand cramping from the strength of her grip on the ladder. " _Faster_."

 _Ungh._

"Ed, I'm so close…" she whimpered.

##

"Hold the door!"

Heather jogged up to Ed and Olivia's building, smiling her thanks to one of the other tenants as she slipped into the lobby. She had texted Olivia a few minutes ago to see if it was okay if she came back; the work crisis ended up being a non-issue after all, and Ben still had the boys at the park.

Looking at her phone, she was mildly surprised when she saw no messages. It was odd that she hadn't gotten a reply, considering both Ed and Olivia were perpetually glued to their phones for work, but she shrugged it off, getting off the elevator on their floor and making her way to their apartment.

After knocking a few times and hearing no movement behind the door, she debated just coming back later with Ben, but at the last second, hit the UP arrow to take the elevator toward the roof instead of the lobby.

Stepping out into the sun, Heather looked to her left, then right, seeing no sign of them in the area where she'd left them a while ago.

 _Must have gone out for lunch or something_.

She was about to head back inside when she heard a noise she couldn't identify and what sounded like a sharp clanking. She stilled, waiting to hear it again, trying to determine whether it was coming from the roof, or if it was a noise carried up from the street level stories below.

When she heard it again, coming from her extreme left, she slowly made her way toward the noise, her brow furrowed as got closer to where the sound was originating.

 _Was that grunting?_

Heather's eyebrows shot up her forehead as she rounded a corner, and her cheeks instantly went red hot at the sight before her.

Ed had Olivia pinned against the railing of the roof. Olivia had one bare leg wrapped around his waist, the other planted firmly on the ground, with her shorts and panties pooled around her ankle.

" _Fuck_ ," Heather heard Ed rasp, a hand snaking its way, she assumed, under Olivia's shirt, based on the guttural reaction the movement elicited from her friend as she threw her head back in response.

Based on Ed's movements and their proximity to the ladder, Heather deduced that the sharp noise she'd heard was his belt hitting the iron, the volume and frequency varying as he changed the tempo of his thrusts.

" _Ed, I'm so close…"_

From her vantage point, Heather couldn't see anything - Ed's shorts were slung low on his hips and upper thighs, and his body shielded Olivia almost completely from view.

Their moans got louder and more intense, and knowing what that meant, Heather grinned and carefully backed away before even the smallest shift in their position would've revealed her to them, walking quickly but quietly back to the door that would take her to the elevator.

The door stuck when she tried to push it open, and she winced as she threw her weight against the crash bar, making more noise than she'd intended to but hopefully not announcing her presence to the lovers in the throes of passion.

When Heather was safely in the elevator, she leaned against the back wall, her heart pounding from the adrenaline of rushing to get off the roof before she was caught. A laugh escaped her lips as she replayed what she'd seen in her head.

"Didn't know you guys had it in ya," she mused.

##

"Did you hear anything a minute ago?" Olivia asked, pulling her head back from his shoulder to look him in the eyes as they both tried to catch their breath following their intense orgasms. "Sounded like the door."

Ed shook his head, still winded, resting his forehead against hers. "You're just paranoid," he teased her with a half-smile. He moved his hands to her shoulders, rubbing them down her arms as they came down, savoring the feel of her. "That was incredible," he marveled, kissing her forehead, her nose and both cheeks before settling on her lips.

"Mm," she hummed against his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck as she returned his kiss. "We should head back down and clean up," she mused, looking down at their disheveled, flushed bodies, still connected at the apex of her thighs.

She winced as he pulled out of her and lowered her leg, tucking himself back into his briefs and refastening his shorts before he helped her back into her clothes.

"A damn shame," he said, shaking his head as they made their way toward the door.

She eyed him. "What is?" She found it hard to believe he could find something to complain about after they just christened their wedding venue…

"Having to put clothes _back on you_ , instead of taking them off completely," he smirked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they boarded the elevator and she pressed the button for their floor.

Olivia chuckled and shook her head, burying her face in his neck and breathing in his scent, more pronounced now from their recent exertions. "We can forgo the clothes completely _later._ "

##

"Mommy!"

Olivia knelt down, opening her arms to Noah as he ran to her from their front door. "There's my baby boy," she cooed, running her fingers through his hair and kissing his forehead. She squeezed him tight, breathing him in. "I missed you," she whispered. She hated the cases that took her away from him for long periods, even if this one was just a day. She looked to Ben, "I hope he behaved well for you."

"He was perfect," Ben waved her off. "This one on the other hand," he nudged his own son and rolled his eyes. "How did it go at work? Did you catch the guy?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "I can't really talk about it, but there's not a whole lot developing right now."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah."

Noah, bored with the adult conversation, wriggled away from her and toward his toy chest, and Olivia stood, standing next to Ed.

"Can we get you guys a drink?"

"No, thanks," Heather looked to Ben, who smiled at his wife. "We better get going." Heather opened her arms when Olivia moved to hug her goodbye.

"Thanks for taking Noah last night."

"Not a problem. I'll call you this week and we can go over more wedding stuff."

"Sure," Olivia nodded.

"Oh, and Liv," Heather whispered against her friends ear as they continued the hug, once she was sure the men were occupied in their own conversation. "When I said to do a dry run, I meant the _vows_ – not the wedding night."

##

 **A/N: I know I say this a lot, but I'm pretty certain of all the chapters that I felt haven't been my best, this one is probably my least favorite… Oh, well. It felt good to get back into it. Thanks so much for your patience waiting for this! I promise more regular updates from here on out. Use the review button – let me know what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: So, it's been awhile again. Sorry for the delay, but don't worry, I'm still here and I'm still writing!**

 **I need to win the lottery because this whole working-for-money thing is getting really old. Anyway…**

 **##**

Olivia stepped through the front door of their apartment, juggling her purse, keys, and a stack of paperwork she'd told herself she would look at this weekend, but knew realistically would just end up taking back to the precinct on Monday morning untouched.

Shutting the door behind her, she offloaded the bulk weighing down her arms and spared a glance toward the open space of the apartment. It was eerily quiet.

As she straightened, her eyes caught an unfamiliar sight - or rather, a familiar sight in an unfamiliar position, and she smirked, her eyebrow lifting in question.

Ed sat crouched, back to the wall, sandwiched between the base of their coatrack and a table in their entryway. His tie was unknotted, and each tail rested against either side of his chest. He looked at her wide-eyed, looking caught - not guilty, necessarily, but embarrassed. He held a finger to his lips to silence her before she spoke.

She ignored him, choosing to tease him instead. "Did Noah put you in timeout?"

He rolled his eyes, cocking his head at her. "No, we're playing hide-and-seek," he said incredulously.

 _Come on._

"And this," she gestured, chuckling at his hiding-in-plain-sight spot, "was the best you could do?"

"Kid's beaten me the last 5 rounds," he whispered harshly. "I'm running out of places to hide and one of the rules is no _re-peas_ ," he told her, quoting Noah. "Now hush. You'll give me away." She continued standing where she was, hands on her hips as she smiled at him. "Don't look at me like that."

Olivia opened her mouth to respond but movement out of the corner of her eye stole her attention, and she saw Noah slink across the hallway by the bedrooms, obviously searching for Ed.

Noah crept around the corner of the kitchen, but turned off his stealth-mode when he saw Olivia standing by the door. "Mommy!"

"Hi, baby," she cooed. She took a few steps away from the door, preserving Ed's hiding space for the time being at his silent but frantic insistence, and crouched down to embrace Noah when he approached her. "Where's your daddy?"

"He hid-een," Noah said matter-of-factly, his little hands resting on either of Olivia's thighs. "I hafta find him."

She took his hands, giving them a light squeeze and swinging them at his sides, and winked at him playfully. "How 'bout I help you find him?"

"'Kay," he nodded and quickly darted around her to continue his quest.

Playing along, she stepped further into the living room, lifting couch cushions and checking every nook and cranny, noting the carnage that had already become of the living room in the time that Ed and Noah had been home together. Pillows, blankets, toys strewn about as casualties in a war against… _clean_. It was chaos; there was no hiding the fact that this was where a little boy lived – and she wouldn't trade that for anything.

"He not under there, Mommy," Noah admonished her, taking her hand and dragging her toward the foyer.

"No?"

He giggled. "He too big!"

Olivia pretended to think about this. "I guess you're right, my sweet boy." She eyed the foyer. "Where, oh where, can daddy be…?"

Noah rounded the corner, and Ed chose this moment to pop out from his niche, grabbing the boy around the waist and flinging him over his shoulder, delighting in the shrieks of laughter that pierced his ears and filled the apartment.

The three of them drifted away from the foyer and when Ed set Noah back on his feet, Olivia stepped closer to him, running her fingers through the boy's hair where he stood next to her.

"Can I get my hello kiss now, Captain?"

He wrapped an arm around her waist, tucking his thumb into the waistband of her pants on her lower back and letting the rest of his fingers rest at the top of her backside. "I wouldn't have denied you before. All you had to do was ask..." His voice was cocky, his face settling into that open-mouthed smirk as he teased her, pulling her closer.

"Yeah, yeah—" The rest of her retort died on his lips as they met hers and she pulled away a few long seconds later, smiling. "That's better."

Ed and Olivia made their way to the couch, collapsing onto it with twin sighs of contentment and watched quietly as Noah ambled over to his toy chest, half the contents of which were currently strewn across the living room floor.

"We still on for the sleepover tonight?"

Olivia laid a hand on Ed's thigh as she settled deeper into the couch, into him. "Yeah," she nodded. "Heather called me when I was on my way home. They're finishing packing and heading over." She leaned into his touch; eyes fluttering closed briefly when she felt his lips on her temple. "Noah, what does your room look like?"

He looked up from his toys, glancing at her before his eyes lifted skyward as he contemplated her question. "Is blue, an' got toys an' books an' my big-boy bed an'—"

Olivia turned her attention to Ed, letting Noah ramble but knowing he was either already an expert at avoiding the question or merely didn't understand it. "What does his room look like?"

Ed shrugged. "It could use… _straightening up_ ," he replied diplomatically.

Olivia called to the toddler, using her authoritative Lieutenant voice so she knew she would get his full attention, and directed him to clean up his room a little bit before Jackson came over to spend the night. She knew it wouldn't be perfect - he was young, still grasping the concept of what _away_ was and how to get things there, but she wanted to start instilling this now - you make the mess, you clean the mess.

Ed smiled as Noah toddled, defeated, away from his toy chest and back toward his room. Ed tapped the outside of her thigh with a finger. "Why don't you go get changed into something comfortable and I'll…" he looked at the decimation of the living room, waving his hand around, "do something about this before Heather and Co. get here."

Gratefully, she nodded, pushing off of the couch with the hand on his thigh and reaching out to help him up once she was standing. He tightened his grip on her hand when she went to walk toward the bedroom and when she looked at him quizzically, he held his face out to her, tapping at his cheek with his free hand.

"Kiss?"

She shook her head, grinning, and grasped his chin between the thumb and forefinger of the hand not intertwined with his. She turned his head so he was facing her fully, and planted a slightly open-mouthed kiss to his lips instead, smiling against them as she heard his small moan of surprise. "I'll be right back," she whispered.

##

"Are you guys sure this isn't an imposition?" Ben put his arm around Heather as they made their way to the front door of the apartment, shooting a glance back at Jackson to make sure he was okay with them leaving.

Olivia waved him off. "Please," she dismissed. "You guys have done it for us more times than I can count. We owe you." She glanced at Heather who was grinning at her, and added, "Have fun."

"So where are you guys headed?" Ed asked curiously, wrapping his arm around Olivia's waist.

"Bastard won't tell me," Heather scoffed. "Wants it to be a surprise," she rolled her eyes.

"But we'll be back for him a little after lunch time tomorrow. We're not going far," Ben assured them.

"Take your time." Olivia glanced at the boys who were happily playing together by the window. "He'll be just fine. They love hanging out together."

##

"Are you boys getting hungry?"

Without giving them an opportunity to answer, Olivia replied, looking at her watch. "We should probably start thinking about dinner…"

"We have ground beef," Ed said, surveying the refrigerator. "Uh…. tomatoes." He opened a drawer and Olivia could hear the contents being shuffled around from where she sat coloring with Noah and Jackson at the coffee table. "Lettuce…cheese," Ed continued.

"Check the cabinet. Do we have taco shells?" She bit her tongue; brow furrowed in concentration as she worked to stay within the lines of the page Noah had allowed her to color in his coloring book. It was one of Super Heroes, and he wanted her to color one of the girl ones.

Looking up at his mom from across the coffee table, Noah mimicked her expression, applying the same concentration to the aggressive, Rorschach-looking swirls and lines he was drawing on his own page.

"Yes, we do." Ed nodded, though she wasn't looking at him, and brought the box of taco shells down to the counter. He looked to the living room, smiling softly at the sight of the three of them gathered around the table, coloring together. Jackson and Noah, he could tell, were not putting much thought into what color would go where, choosing instead to mar the pages with any and every color they could get their hands on, while Olivia was taking her task seriously, making sure to stay within the lines, choosing her colors thoughtfully. "Taco night?" he broached, and Olivia winked when she glanced up at him.

"What do you think, little ones?" Olivia tapped the end of Noah's nose with the blunt end of her crayon and smiled when Jackson giggled at Noah shoving her hand away from his face. "Taco night?"

The boys looked at each other and simultaneously erupted into chants, banging their fists against the coffee table. "Ta-co! Ta-co! Ta-co!"

"Okay, okay…" she laughed as covered their hands with her own to stop the banging. Turning her gaze to Noah, she narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Are you actually going to eat them this time?"

Noah grinned, swaying as he ducked his head so his chin was near his chest, ever the charmer. It was moments like this that she knew she was going to have a heartbreaker on her hands; probably even sooner than she thought. "May-be."

" _Maybe_ ," she teased him, pushing off the coffee table and standing to pick him up and then reaching for Jackson's hand. "How about, _yes, mommy, whatever will make you happy_?" She nuzzled her nose against Noah's face and held him closer when he buried his head in her neck to escape her attentions.

Ed chuckled. "I think that might be pushing it a little bit."

"Worth a shot," she quipped, making her way into the kitchen with the boys. Ed started pulling spices out of the cabinet for the taco meat and Olivia set Noah, then Jackson, on the counter. "How can we help?"

##

Having the boys help with taco prep was a lesson in patience for both Ed and Olivia, and by the time the last shell was gone, Olivia wondered if anything actually made it into the boys' stomachs with all the mess that was on their hands, arms and faces.

"Alright, guys… _Don't touch anything_ ," she gently instructed, cringing as they moved away from the toddler table. She held Noah lightly by his wrists as she guided him toward the bathroom, intent on giving both boys a bath before the evidence of taco night became a permanent stain on their furniture.

Ed followed closely behind her gripping Jackson similarly, when out of nowhere, Noah broke free of Olivia's loose grip and ran around her toward Jackson, arms outstretched, yelling, "I gonna get you!"

Jackson screamed and freed himself of Ed's grip before running away from Noah, leaving the adults temporarily stupefied as they watched the toddlers chase each other around the living room with taco hands.

"Boys," Ed warned. "Be careful. Don't run."

Olivia watched, inwardly cringing, trying to find the perfect spot to intercept this impromptu game of taco tag before anyone – or anything – got hurt. But Jackson, too intent on keeping his eyes on Noah rather than where he was going, tripped over the corner of a pillow on the floor and went to the ground, his forehead catching the edge of the coffee table as he went.

There was a brief moment of silence as everyone in the room – including Noah – absorbed what they'd just witnessed. And then seconds later, a piercing wail erupted in the quiet as Jackson registered the pain of the bump on his head.

Ed was quick to react, plucking the toddler from the floor and rushing to the kitchen, pulling the first aid kit from beneath the sink once Jackson was safely perched on the counter. "Hey, big man… You're okay. It's just a little bump. Maybe a scratch, but we'll get you cleaned up in no time."

While Ed gently inspected Jackson's forehead, murmuring assurances to him all the while, Olivia gathered Noah in her arms. He looked up at her with wide, remorseful eyes. "Jackson hurted?"

Olivia nodded, patting his back lightly. "He is, but Daddy is making sure he's all better." She walked up to Jackson and affectionately rubbed his knee. "You okay, honey?"

Jackson nodded meekly, his face red, hiccupping as the tears subsided.

Olivia looked at him sympathetically. He wasn't used to being without his parents, and she knew this was jarring for him, being out of his comfort zone. "What would your mommy do if she were here?" she asked softly, rubbing his leg.

The boy sniffled and looked at her hopefully, and Ed had to bite the insides of his cheek to keep from smiling as he watched this unfold. No one, no matter how young, was immune to Olivia's charms.

"Kiss better?"

She smiled warmly, leaning in and kissing the tender skin of his forehead that was starting to show a bruise from the impact. Luckily, the coffee table had not broken the skin. They knew from a prior Noah incident how much those head wounds could bleed, even when they were minor.

"Dere you go," Noah declared, still on Olivia's hip, his head tucked into her neck. "All better. Mommy kisses are magic fix-its."

Ed leaned over and kissed the top of Noah's head. "Yes, they are," he agreed. Olivia met his eyes at the sound of his husky voice, and she swallowed deeply when she noted the desire swirling in them.

"Okay," she said, breaking the somewhat intense moment. "Bath time for two messy boys."

##

Olivia and Ed tackled bath time as a team, and by the time both boys were washed, dried and in their pajamas, Ed's shirt and pants were almost soaked through from his joining in on their bath games.

As they tucked both boys into Noah's bed, Olivia kissed them both on the forehead. "No more running around the house, right?"

Noah grudgingly agreed with a sleepy nod.

"That's my sweet boy," Olivia cooed.

"Feelin' alright, Jackson?" Ed asked, leaning closer to inspect the bump once more for the night.

"Mhmm," he nodded, blinking lazily up them.

One more kiss for both toddlers, and then Ed leaned down to turn the night light on as Olivia made her way toward the bedroom door. "Sweet dreams…"

Once they were both out in the hallway, she looked Ed up and down, smirking at the still-damp Oxford and dress pants he wore. "Why don't you go change into some dry clothes, and I'll pour us some wine?"

Ed hummed as he stepped into her personal space, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pressing her into his body. "That sounds good, Lieutenant."

She gripped his shirt at his hips and pulled him away from her enough so she could reach his lips with hers. "Go," she told him. "I'll see you out here in a minute."

##

"Well, all things considered I think that went pretty well," Ed observed, taking a sip of wine and putting his feet up on the coffee table as Olivia settled into his side.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I feel kind of bad we're giving Heather and Ben back a broken child," she teased dryly, "but boys will be boys."

He ran his hand along her upper arm and sighed contentedly when she nestled deeper into him. "Ah, he'll be fine. He was a trooper." She hummed in response.

When he'd come out of their bedroom dressed in lounge pants and an old NYPD shirt, they'd turned off the TV and dimmed some of the lights, opting for some light music in the background while they unwound – not just from babysitting, but also from the day in general.

"That was good practice, y'know…" Ed commented.

"For…?"

He squeezed her against him and whispered into her hair, "For when we give Noah a brother or sister someday…"

Ed felt her chuckle against him and smiled as he took another sip of wine. "We _do_ make a pretty good tag team."

…

"Do you remember that night at the Met?"

They'd shifted positions when she returned from refilling their glasses, and her legs were now draped across his lap, his hand running up and down the smooth skin.

In response to his question, she shifted her head against the couch cushion, her lips quirked in a small smile as she looked up at him. "Of course I do." Arousal flashed in her eyes as she relived the memory, but another more recent memory burned in her mind caused the arousal to wane. "But after what happened on the roof, it'll be a while before I let you touch me like that again in public, Ed Tucker…"

She shivered at the memory of Heather whispering in her ear, making the connection that the noise she'd heard, the one that Ed thought her paranoid for thinking she'd heard, was actually her best friend leaving.

After seeing them.

Having sex.

Even now, Olivia hadn't quite figured out how it was possible for one to blush furiously while simultaneously losing all the color in their face, but it happened that day. She felt it, right as her heart dropped into her stomach.

And what made that whole situation worse, as if being caught with their pants down, _literally_ , wasn't bad enough… but in the two times she'd seen Heather after that incident, not counting tonight, she'd insisted on recreating some of the noises she'd heard on the roof, causing Olivia to blush scarlet. The only thing Olivia had been able to do to get her to stop was threaten to revoke her planning privileges. But on some level, she knew that once she didn't have that to hold over Heather's head, the teasing would be constant.

Ed, the bastard, had found the whole thing amusing, once Olivia had told him what made her go from completely fine to looking like she was going to hurl in the time it took for Heather to hug her goodbye that afternoon.

"I don't know if I would consider the roof public," Ed hedged, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he cocked his head to the side and looked at her. She flailed her legs at him, her feet making contact with his chest in reprisal. "Easy," he teased, holding his wine glass away from the danger of being knocked from his hands by a wayward limb.

She ignored him. "It was public _that_ day."

He chuckled as she settled down, folding her legs beneath her and leaning into him. "Touché."

##

A while later, wine glasses emptied and on the table, they lay chest to chest, Olivia nestled between his parted legs, breathing softly into his neck as he played with her hair. Every so often, his fingertips would scratch at her scalp and she would moan contentedly against him. She was breathing him in, basking in the clean, masculine scent of him. He felt…safe.

They were awake, but Ed knew if they lingered out here too much longer, they'd find themselves here all night, waking up sore from being contorted on the couch for too long when the sun started coming through the open windows early in the morning.

"Y'know what I was thinking?" He both heard and felt her responding hum against his neck. "When I first moved in here, we talked about maybe getting a bigger place, y'know, together…"

"I remember." He couldn't be sure, but he swore he felt her lips curve on his skin.

"Well, maybe," he broached, "if we're gonna move forward with the whole adoption thing, we ought to start looking into that." He paused his words, but continued the pattern he was rubbing into her scalp. "See what's out there, y'know? So Noah doesn't have to share such a small space with a baby…or another toddler, whatever age we end up with."

She pushed herself off of him slightly, readjusting so her chin was resting on her hands, folded against his chest. "Well," she started. "I think getting married on the roof is contingent on us still living here when that happens," she mused with a teasing tone, "but maybe we start poking around the listings and see if there's something we can plan to move into afterward." She smiled. "Our first place as husband and wife. Sound good?"

"I can live with that," he smirked. He brought his hands from her hair to cup her cheeks, pulling her toward him for a kiss that he intended to be brief, but turned into something more when she opened her mouth to him, her tongue tracing his lower lip before slipping into his mouth.

She brought a hand up to the side of his neck as she adjusted her position, her knees falling to either side of his hips as she straddled him, their mouths still fused.

Ed took a deep breath in through his nose, slanting his lips over hers and deepening the kiss further, almost pushing her off of him with the force of his tongue working against hers.

Olivia tore her lips from his; trailing wet kisses across his jaw line, licking his earlobe before her lips made their way down the side of his neck, smiling as he gasped against her. She sat back, settling her weight over his burgeoning arousal as her hands found the hem of his t-shirt, tugging to get the material up his torso. He sat up, reaching for the collar at the back of his neck to help her, and hissing when her nails found the bare skin of his stomach, his shirt flung to parts unknown.

One of her favorite things about intimacy with Ed was the way his body responded to her touch; even the barest ghost of her skin against his, the lightest graze, and she could see and feel his reaction to her. It was the same way when he touched her. They were magnetic.

She grinned, raking her nails up and down his strong chest, and he stared up at her, breathing heavily. "You really want to do this here?"

Olivia shrugged, her head in a fog of desire. She could only focus on wanting him as she crossed her arms over her torso and lifted her own shirt, baring her naked chest to him.

"Jesus Christ," he groaned. It was automatic, the way his hands immediately made their way to her breasts, gently teasing, massaging, while he watched her lose her composure above him.

"Ed…"

"Baby," he gasped. "We gotta move." His hands remained on her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers as she moaned softly, overcome, not listening to a word he was saying. Ed panted as she moved her hips over his. "The boys."

That did it.

As much as she wanted him, she wasn't keen on being a party to any more exhibitionism and grudgingly stood up from the couch, practically yanking Ed up behind her and rushing quietly to the seclusion of their bedroom.

Once they were behind a closed door, time seemed to slow, and what began almost frantically in the living room became deeper, more intimate. The desire to feel skin-on-skin; to savor their connection and how intimately they knew one another.

He could easily get lost in her.

They were methodical as they removed the last articles of clothing, breaking kisses only to breathe, before they finally made their way to the bed, taking turns showering the other with kisses until there was hardly an inch of skin between them that hadn't been thoroughly loved.

Olivia had never understood the term _making love_ until she experienced it fully with Ed. Before him, she had never felt so cherished, so safe.

The only way she could think to describe feeling him inside her, as he was now, was a sense of utter…completion.

They were each other's missing piece; both a puzzle that they'd been waiting their whole lives up to this point to complete.

She dug her nails into his lower back as he rocked in and out of her body, feeling his stomach working against hers as he moved his hips.

"Oh, God," she whimpered, tucking her head into his neck as she met him thrust for thrust.

He breathed heavily against her ear, "I know," he moaned. "Christ, I love you."

As her arousal intensified, warmth permeating her body as he hit all the right spots inside her, she thought about how for so long, she'd resigned herself to the fact that she was never going to get this – her happy ending. For years, she told herself, if it hadn't happened by now, it wasn't going to. But, though in a lot of ways he was there all along, Ed came out of left field and totally changed the trajectory of hers and Noah's life.

She found the strength to flip them over so that she was on top, and she leaned down to kiss him deeply, her tongue immediately finding his as her hips continued the slow rhythm that he'd started. She kept her lips against his loosely, half-heartedly maintaining the kiss as she felt her control slipping. "Ed," she warned him in a moan.

"Let go," he gasped.

She leaned down, sinking her teeth into the heated skin of his shoulder, as her release took over, moving erratically as she felt the sensation of him giving into his own arousal.

Spent, she collapsed on top of him, her arms giving out beneath her and she chuckled when he groaned at the impact of her body colliding with his.

"I love you, you know," she whispered, still trying to breath normally, but unable to mask her affectedness in the moment. "You're it for me, Ed Tucker."

He breathed deeply, her scent and their scent _together_ overwhelming his senses. How he'd managed to convince her, after years of animosity, that he was someone worth loving… he would never know. But somehow, he did. And in a matter of weeks, she would be his, forever.

"Better be," he joked, running his hands along her back and kissing her hair. "I love you, too."

 **A/N: Review?**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Well, hello there. I got a little distracted with real life responsibilities (way over-rated) and some fun requests, but I'm back with more TucksoNoah and Heather…**

 **One more one shot request in the pipeline to come this week – keep 'em coming!**

 **S/O to JennBenson, as per usual, for the feedback and assistance. ILY!**

 **##**

"Well, that was a bust," Olivia sighed. She leaned her elbow on the passenger door, massaging her forehead as Fin drove the squad car.

"You won't hear me complainin'," he chimed in. "I'd rather a bust than have to chase the damn fool…"

Olivia leaned her head back against the headrest, looking over at her longtime cohort with an amused smile. "Come on, Fin," she teased. "You'd've had him."

He gave his patented 'Fin' side-eye glare and shook his head as her phone buzzed, calling her attention.

"If that's another case…" he complained.

"It's not," she promised, reading the text from Heather. "You hungry?"

He shrugged. "I could eat."

"Turn right up here," she directed.

Moments later, they walked into a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. Olivia scanned the nearly empty but dim dining area and her eyes landed on Heather, wiggling her fingers toward her and Fin while she sucked down half of a margarita.

"How do you find these places?" Olivia asked, kissing her friend on the cheek before sliding into the booth across from her.

"Oh, I've been coming here for years," Heather said, bumping her fist against Fin's as he slid into the booth next to Olivia. "Ramon takes good care of me." She winked toward the guy wiping down the bar, who returned the gesture, and Olivia laughed at the exchange.

"Does Ben know about _Ramon_?" Olivia questioned, a teasing glint in her eye and wiggle in her brow. It wasn't often that she was on the giving end of teasing with Heather. She planned to take every opportunity she could get.

Heather rolled her eyes, taking another long pull of her margarita as she nodded subtly. "This is where Ben took me on our first date," she told them.

"Romantic," Olivia observed sardonically.

Heather shrugged. "It was."

They all leaned back to allow Ramon to drop a basket of tortilla chips and a couple of salsas onto the center of the table. When they were left alone again, three hands descended on the chips and Olivia leaned back further into the booth, getting comfortable.

"So, what's the occasion?" she asked curiously, reaching for another chip and dipping it into salsa.

"Just wanted to catch up," Heather replied innocently.

Olivia scrutinized Heather, not buying into the act she was trying to sell. She nudged Fin, "You believe her?"

He threw his hands up in surrender. "I'm just here to eat," he held up a chip, "and watch," he added, gesturing at the two of them.

"Oh, I forgot you guys were all buddy-buddy now," Olivia said. "That was quite a performance you put on during our little engagement get-together, my friend," Olivia reminded her.

Heather bowed slightly in the limited space she had on her side of the booth.

"So." Heather scooped a generous helping of salsa onto a tortilla chip and popped it into her mouth. "Do you realize," she swallowed, "that you're getting married in a month and you're spending a week of that month in Paris?"

Dryly, Olivia responded, nodding. "It had occurred to me, yes."

Incredulously, Heather closed both hands into fists and pounded them lightly on the worn wooden table. "Time is of the essence, Liv! We have to celebrate the last days of your bachelorette… _dom,_ " she finished lamely.

"I'm also almost 50," Olivia reminded her with a raised eyebrow, sipping at her water. "Doesn't the whole," she flailed her hand in the air, using air quotes, " _bachelorette_ thing kind of lose something when the bride is closer to retirement age than the drinking age?"

"Not necessarily. We don't need…like, a Bachelorette sash, or…penis straws," she reasoned, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Fin barked out a laugh, gesturing his hands in a time-out. "Hold up," he said, swallowing a chip and taking a drink of water before he choked. " _Penis straws_?" He looked incredulously from Heather to Olivia and back again, an impish grin on his face. "Do those work the way I _think_ they work?"

"Oh, God," Olivia groaned, dropping her head in her hands and muttering to herself, "I should have never let you two be in the same room together again."

"No, come on." Heather reached across the table, pulling Olivia's hands from her face. "We don't need the penis straws, and," she huffed and rolled her eyes, "I'll return the tiara I got you that had little penises on it—"

"—I ain't hearin' this—" Fin dipped another chip into salsa, popping it into his mouth with raised eyebrows as he continued to watch the conversation volley back and forth between the two women.

" _Liiiiiiiiv_ ," Heather whined, stomping her feet lightly though neither Fin nor Olivia could see. Seeing her friends less-than-enthused expression unchanged, she pressed on, seeking compromise. "C'mon…how about just a girls night?" She eyed her friend innocently, "And _maybe_ a stripper…?"

Olivia's eyes darted up from the chips to meet Heather's and her voice was firm when she replied. "No strippers."

"Not even a cop one?" Heather pouted. "You obviously have a thing for them…"

Fin sat back, arms crossed over his chest and continued to watch. Olivia wasn't one to let social situations get the best of her, but Heather made her work overtime. It was fun to see her squirm a little bit. "She got you there, Liv," he pointed out, winking at Heather across the table. She grinned triumphantly in return but bit her lips to hide it before Olivia noticed.

Meanwhile, Olivia leveled him with a withering stare, almost as if to ask, _whose side are you on?_ She turned back to Heather. " _No strippers_ ," she repeated, adding, "cop or otherwise," just because she knew Heather and didn't want to give her any loopholes. When Heather pouted, she continued. "A girls night could be fun, though."

"Jesus, _finally_ ," Heather sighed in relief. "Invite Amanda?"

Olivia only had to think about it for a brief moment. She didn't have that many girlfriends, and her relationship with Amanda was in better shape now than it had ever been, the blonde noticeably stepping up since her promotion to Sergeant. "Sure," she agreed.

Fin chuckled, eying his Lieutenant and longtime friend with a smile. "Now, _that_ is a trio I would pay to see in action."

Olivia looked at him blankly. "You know, you're not helping," she deadpanned.

He grinned, ladling salsa onto another chip before replying simply, "I didn't come here to help."

##

Ed walked into the apartment and the smell that hit him upon opening the door nearly took his breath away. He had to fight against the cough that wanted to erupt from his mouth. It smelled like burnt… _something_.

Peeking his head around the wall of the entryway, he spotted Olivia, "Kiss the Cook" apron, a gag gift, tied around her neck, lost in thought as she hunched over the kitchen counter. "Liv?"

She glanced up, smiling at him as he made his way toward her, draping his suit jacket along the back of the chair in the living room and loosening his tie. "Hey, babe," she said softly, standing up straight and opening her arms to welcome him in a side-hug as he approached.

He took in the state of the kitchen as he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. It looked like every kitchen utensil they owned was out. Mixing bowls of assorted sizes were scattered across the countertop and he could see liquid and powdery residue on almost all the hard surfaces.

It looked like Olivia fought the kitchen, and the kitchen won.

"What happened in here?"

"I cooked," she snorted. "Or, at least, I tried to."

"What's the occasion?" He suddenly panicked, fearing he'd missed an important date.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you, since you're always taking care of us," she explained, leaning into him. "But I ruined it."

He kissed her head again, burying his nose in her soft brown hair. "Ah, it'll be great."

"It's probably terrible," she argued, flipping the pages of the recipe book she'd used. "I can't figure out where I went wrong, but it doesn't…smell like I think it should." He watched her with an amused smirk as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes darted from the photo in the cookbook to the dish on the trivet to her right. "Doesn't look much like it should, either."

Inwardly, he dreaded having to ensure a plateful of her concoction; the smell was pungent enough…but he didn't want to make her feel bad and felt like it was his responsibility, as her soon-to-be dutiful husband, to grin and bear it.

"It'll be fine," he assured her again. "Thank you."

Olivia abandoned her scrutiny of the cookbook and turned so she was more fully in his arms; grateful for him being such a good sport about her thoroughly ruining the nice gesture she'd planned for him. She felt like she didn't do enough to show how much she appreciated everything he did for her and Noah.

"Don't thank me yet," she cautioned with a self-deprecating chuckle, burying her face in his chest as they swayed in the kitchen. "I don't know what _that_ is over there," she gestured toward the dish, "but it may kill us all…"

##

"How is it?" Olivia asked nervously, her own fork lifted halfway to her mouth.

Ed worked hard to chew the bite in his mouth and nodded as he swallowed. "It's good," he lied.

She stared at him, and he tried to keep the grimace from his face at the aftertaste as he reached for his water. "I don't believe you," she concluded, dropping her fork. "Look, you're sweet to try it…but we don't have to eat it if it's not good. We'll just order in." She rose from her seat and went to take his and Noah's plates, intending to tilt them over the garbage can, but Ed grabbed her hands to stop her.

"Stop, Liv. I mean it," he said. "It's good. See?" He cut off another chunk with the side of his fork, plopping it into his mouth and chewing enthusiastically. "Good," he mumbled around the mouthful.

Olivia eyed him skeptically. "You're sure?"

Ed cocked his head at her impatiently. "Yes. Now, sit," he patted the cushion of her chair until she lowered herself back onto it. "Eat." He looked at Noah, who was pushing chunks of the overdone soufflé across his own plate. "C'mon, bud. Mommy worked really hard to cook for us tonight. Let's show her how much we appreciate it by eating our dinner, okay?"

Noah didn't look happy about it, but he brought a bite to his mouth and chewed it a few times before letting the partially masticated food slide off his tongue and onto the plate with a grimace. "Dis yuck."

At her son's reaction, Olivia turned to Ed with a raised eyebrow, clearly still doubting his rave review of her culinary disaster, and he looked back at her incredulously, his hands going up. "I think it's good," he defended. "You're gonna trust a three-year-olds opinion before mine? He's used to chicken nuggets." She sighed and rolled her eyes and Ed turned his attention back to the little man at the table. "Noah, hey, lookit me bud," Ed instructed. When he had the toddler's attention, he continued. "I know it's different from what you usually eat, but this is grown-up food, kiddo. This is Big Boy stuff. You think you can take a few more bites for me? Like a big boy?"

Finally, Noah started making some progress, nibbling at a few bites and even getting a few down before Olivia started working on her own plate. It was a little…rubbery. Maybe a tad burnt, but not quite as terrible as Olivia thought it was going to be, and she quietly worked on her own portion while the three of them ate in relative silence – Noah not knowing to hide his disgust, and Ed trying desperately to conceal his.

"You know what might be fun?" he asked, washing down another bite with a generous gulp of water. Olivia raised her eyebrow expectantly. "Don't they have cooking classes for couples?"

Her shoulders sagged and she looked at him with apologetic eyes. "I knew it, you hate it."

Immediately, he reached for her forearm. "I don't hate it," he promised. "I just thought it might be something fun for us to do together. Maybe learn a few new recipes," he shrugged. "I can cook, but my skills in the kitchen are definitely limited. Maybe we can both learn some new tricks."

Olivia considered him for a moment before letting a small smile curve her lips. "You know, that actually does sound like it could be fun."

He simpered triumphantly. "See?"

##

Olivia stacked their dinner plates and set them on the counter in the kitchen, wetting the sponge and turning to start wiping down the carnage from her ill-advised attempt to channel her inner Rachael Ray. She'd come a long way from surviving solely on takeout, but clearly she wasn't ready to venture far from the simple recipes she'd been sticking to since the number of mouths to feed in the apartment expanded.

Ed's hand stilled her movement toward the countertop. "Hey," he said, taking the sponge from her. "You cooked," he reminded her. "The kid and I will clean. Right, bud?"

Both Ed and Olivia looked down at Noah, who was eyeing Ed warily, having fallen victim to that ploy at the hands of his Uncle Munchie before.

Ed whispered, "Just say, _right_."

"Right," Noah obediently repeated.

Ed looked at Olivia triumphantly. "See? We got this. Go relax." He tapped her hip gently as she moved around them to leave the kitchen.

"In that case, I think I'm gonna go draw myself a bath. You _sure_ you don't want help?" She looked pointedly at Noah, who could be more of a hindrance in the cleaningdepartment.

Ed smirked. "We'll be fine." Leaning into to kiss her, he mumbled against her lips, "Go."

She gripped the material of his shirt at his hips, attaching her lips to his more firmly and nibbling at him. "I'm going, I'm going," she laughed, as she felt him gently push her away and out of the kitchen. She called an "I love you" over her shoulder as she rounded the corner to the hallway, meant for neither of them in particular, but she smiled when she heard both of them respond in kind.

Once Olivia was gone, Ed surveyed the damage with his hands on his hips and sighed before crouching down so he was eye-level with Noah.

"Alright, bud," he began, gripping the toddler's hands in his own. "What's the first thing you do to make something boring and icky a lot more fun?" Noah looked at him blankly, a tiny finger going to his chin as he pretended to think, though it was clear he had no idea. "We'll play some music," Ed shared. "Jam while we clean."

"We play Bops?" Noah asked excitedly. He'd been on a Kidz Bop kick lately; but Ed didn't know if he could take that tonight, as much as he loved his son. He didn't care much for the original versions of the songs on those albums, let alone the cutesy kid versions. They definitely didn't make music like they used to.

"How about we play some grown up music?" Ed asked. "The _good_ stuff?" He pressed play on the classic rock playlist on the iHome and watched as Noah digested the opening notes to Bob Seger's _Old Time Rock and Roll_ before he started moving his body to the music, and he knew the toddler was sold.

They migrated to the kitchen and Ed perched Noah on a clean section of countertop, giving him a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon to play percussion along with the music while he cleaned, leaning over every once in a while to jam with the little boy, his son, savoring his giggles and squeals.

##

Olivia sighed contentedly, listening to the water lap against the sides of the tub as she moved her legs, drawing patterns along the porcelain with tips of her toes. She breathed in the heady, relaxing aroma of her lavender and chamomile body wash, a Zen-like feeling seeping into her pores with the steam from the near-scalding hot water she was soaking in.

Her eyes slipped shut and she adjusted her head against the rolled up towel she was using as a pillow. Despite the tranquil atmosphere and her relatively unburdened mind, Olivia found herself unable to shut her brain off completely, and as she soaked, her mind ran through the calendar of events they had scheduled for the next month.

She'd expedited a passport for Noah, but despite it and the hotel and plane confirmations they'd printed and were keeping safe until the trip, she couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she was actually going to Paris. Her mind was even more stubborn in its refusal to reconcile the fact that she was going to Paris with her son and her fiancé.

Beyond that, _she was getting married._

She and Heather had really buckled down on the planning in the last couple of weeks, and really the only things Olivia could think of that were still outstanding were the final alterations for her dress and writing her vows, which would be an undertaking in itself.

 _How would she ever find the right words? Did they even exist?_

They'd arranged for tables and chairs, a DJ, purchased a veritable nursery's worth of fake flowers, finalized a menu…

The closer it got, the more she found herself in disbelief that it was really happening. Just when she'd all but given up on the notion of ever finding someone that could not only handle all of her baggage, but who she _trusted_ with it.

She could never bring herself to share the entirety of what she'd been through with Brian, and at the time, she'd chalked it up to protecting him. But now, having bared her soul and all its imperfections to Ed and being accepted by him wholly, she knew that subconsciously, it _hadn't_ been that she was protecting Brian from her trauma. Rather, she had been protecting herself from his inevitable reaction. She knew he wouldn't have been able to handle the enormity of her scars – not just the physical ones, but also the ones that resided deep beneath the surface of her skin.

Olivia opened her eyes and took a deep breath, putting the heavy thoughts out of her mind as she heard the faint sounds of Noah's giggles coming from the living room. Smiling, she pulled the plug from the drain before carefully stepping out of the bathtub and wrapping herself in a towel, suddenly eager to be near her boys.

She quickly pulled on a pair of leggings and one of Ed's t-shirts before heading down the hall, music she recognized as "Bohemian Rhapsody" growing louder as she made her way closer to them.

When she reached the kitchen, she leaned against the wall, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh as both Ed and Noah sang along – Ed along with the music, Noah somewhat intelligibly – both with wooden spoons held up to their faces as makeshift microphones, so engrossed that neither noticed her re-emergence.

Her heart swelled with equal-parts love, gratitude, and ferocious pride as she looked on at her boys, _her family_. There was no way she could have envisioned, years ago, the challenging road that would lead her here. But the struggle made this all sweeter, somehow; made her appreciate how far she, and they, had come that much more.

This was her life. _They_ were her life.

##

The song hit its crest and Ed put both his and Noah's wooden spoons down, lifting the toddler into his arms and using him as a prop guitar for the final act of the song.

Ed swung his head around like a bona fide rock star, relishing in the giggle fit he was eliciting from Noah and remaining completely oblivious to Olivia watching from the doorway, her own head bopping along to the music as she watched amusedly at the display going on in their living room.

Her eyes raked over him; his skin flushed from the exertion as he got into the song, the muscles of his arms rippling with the effort of holding Noah and wrangling him like a guitar, and the smile on his face as he soaked up Noah's excited laughter.

She could not love them more.

As the high-octane part of the song petered out into the softer final verse, Ed finally looked up and he chuckled breathlessly in a combination of amusement and embarrassment when he saw her standing there, eyebrows raised teasingly and a playful smirk on her face. He planted Noah back on his feet and reached for the remote to turn the volume down on the music.

"I'm glad I didn't miss the show," she quipped sarcastically.

"I sorta wish you did," he retorted, scratching the back of his head.

Noah ran toward her, a wide grin on his face, and she crouched down to pick him up. "We sing Feddy Mer-ky!"

"I saw that, baby. You did _so good_ ," she kissed his cheek, putting him back down and palming his head as he ran back toward Ed.

"More?"

Ed smiled down at Noah, ruffling his hair before gently telling him that it was time to start winding down for bed and they'd play with more music the next night.

As Noah retreated to his toy chest, Olivia slowly made her way toward Ed, glancing into the kitchen on her way. "A living room concert _and_ you managed to get the kitchen clean," she observed, her tone taking on a seductive, teasing lilt as she stepped into his arms. "I'm impressed, Captain."

"Yeah?" He grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning in for a chaste kiss. "I'm a man of many talents, Lieutenant."

"Oh, I know." Olivia quirked her eyebrow and went back in for another kiss. "I just hope you haven't used up all your energy…"

"Mommy?" Noah intercepted Ed's flirtatious retort as he tugged on Olivia's pajama pants, seeking her attention.

"What is it, baby?"

He looked up at her with hopeful eyes. "You sing wiff us t'morrow?"

"Uh…"

Ed lifted Noah into his arms, smiling at her in challenge. "Yeah, Liv. More Queen?"

Noah pumped his fist. "YES! More Feddy Mer-ky!"

Olivia glared at Ed before softening her gaze on Noah, "We'll see, baby." She squeezed his leg against Ed's stomach and kissed his temple. "But in the meantime, I think it's time for one little boy to go to sleep."

Ed and Olivia went about Noah's night time routine together, getting him into pajamas and taking turns reading him a story before it was time for goodnight kisses and whispered _I love yous_. Olivia took one last look at her son, facing away from them and already drifting into sleep as she turned out the light and walked out of the room, Ed trailing behind her with his hands on her hips.

"So, what's it gonna be, Liv?" Ed whispered against her ear as they ambled down the hallway, his breath against her skin making her shiver. "Fat-Bottomed Girls?" He teased. "We Will Rock You? Somebody to Love?"

"I already _have_ somebody to love," she flirted, stepping out of his grasp and reaching for a wine glass as they made their way into the kitchen, quirking her eyebrow in silent question before reaching for a second at his agreeable shrug.

"Touché."

"That was cute. Tonight," she said seriously, glancing at him as she poured the crimson liquid into their glasses.

"It was fun," he said. He rubbed at the back of his neck. "I might need to go easier on the head banging next time, though," he admitted with a chuckle as he took her proffered glass and leading the way to the living room.

"I think Noah particularly enjoyed that part," Olivia laughed, settling next to him on the couch. She rested the hand that wasn't holding her wine on his thigh, glancing at him out of the side of her eye. "I love the way you are with him. He so loves his Daddy."

"He loves his Mommy." A beat. "I love his mommy, too."

Ed kissed her temple, his free hand playing with strands of her hair as the classic rock playlist he'd started after dinner continued to provide background music for them.

"Fin and I met Heather for lunch today while we were in the field," Olivia shared.

"I'm sorry," Ed teased, not missing a beat, catching Olivia's hand and intertwining their fingers when she went to smack his chest. "How did that go?" He brought their joined hands up to his lips for a soft kiss before lowering them back to his thigh.

"She wants to throw me a bachelorette party. I didn't even know that was a thing for people my age," she laughed.

Though she couldn't see him, he rolled his eyes. "You say that like you're 90, Liv."

"Well, when it comes to things like bachelorette parties, I kinda think I might as well be," she retorted. "Have any of the guys mentioned a bachelor party for you?" She turned her head slightly to look at him.

Ed shrugged. "Not in so many words. Cole mentioned something about grabbing a drink…but guys are way different when it comes to that stuff," he said dismissively. "So what'd you tell Heather?"

"Well, I shot down her stripper idea," she said dryly, patting his leg in reassurance when she heard him mutter something that sounded an awful lot like _oh for Christ's sake_ under his breath. "I think we're just going to do a girls night with Amanda." She paused, rethinking, second-guessing. "I _hope_ we're just going to do a girls night with Amanda. I was pretty adamant."

 _But sometimes with Heather, you just never knew_.

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

Olivia eyed him suspiciously. "You seem awfully calm given the fact that there's a very real possibility Heather has already booked a very attractive, well-built guy to strip and dance for me…"

"Ah," Ed wiggled in his seat, dropping his hand to her thigh and letting it run almost up to her hip. "I know I got everything you need right here," he whispered teasingly into her ear, nuzzling his nose against her.

"Oh, my God," Olivia laughed, shaking her head and pushing him away.

Ed smirked, settling back against the cushions and spoke more seriously. "Ah, let her have her fun."

"We can have fun without strippers," Olivia declared, continuing simply. "The only man I have any desire to see without clothes is you."

"That can be arranged," he teased.

They drifted into a comfortable silence, nestled into each other, and Olivia's mind shifted focus from errant thoughts in her head to actually concentrating on the lyrics of the song. As it played, Ed started humming along in her ear and she adjusted her head against his shoulder so she could see his face.

 _In my life, there's been heartache and pain_

 _I don't know if I can face it again_

 _Can't stop now, I've traveled so far_

 _To change this lonely life_

 _I wanna know what love is_

 _I want you to show me_

 _I wanna feel what love is_

 _I know you can show me_

As she listened to the song, Olivia felt almost like the wind had been knocked out of her, the lyrics resonating so much in her heart with how she saw her relationship with Ed. It was the perfect depiction of them not only separately, but what they had been able to find and build together.

In each other, they'd found love like nothing either of them had experienced before. Real love. Not a fleeting emotion borne of necessity, obligation, or fear, but a deep love; the kind that you can only have when you really, truly know and accept someone for all that they are - taking the good with the bad. The kind you can feel deep in your bones.

It had taken time to get them to this point, time to peel back each other's layers, get to know the souls that lay beneath. They were scarred, jaded, alone for so long, but not anymore and never again. Ed had opened her heart completely and shown her what she hadn't even realized she'd been looking for, didn't know existed.

Olivia felt the tears welling in her eyes as the song continued to play, feeling her heart clench in the best way with every word.

"This song," she said. Her voice was barely above a whisper but she couldn't disguise her affectedness. She chuckled at herself as Ed reached down to wipe a stray tear from her eye. "I must've heard it a thousand times, but…this time…"

"I know. It's… _us,_ " Ed said, leaning down to kiss her nose. "We _do_ still need a song," he reminded her gently.

"I think," she leaned up to kiss him softly, "we just found it."

##

 **A/N: I'm thinking we've got maybe 3 chapters left in this baby, depending on whether the muse strikes from Season 18 into something I can loop into this universe. Either way, this story won't be the last you see of Heather, I can promise that.**

 **Review?**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** _ **My goodness**_ **, it's been awhile. Writer's block is a witch with a B. I hope you enjoy this** _ **LONG**_ **overdue installment and are still with me for the remainder of this ride…**

 **##**

"Hey, Liv?"

"Yeah?"

"You have a visitor…"

"Who is it?" Olivia looked up to see Rollins standing in her doorway, barely holding Heather at bay behind her. "Oh, hey. C'mon in," she muttered distractedly, calling out a soft _Thanks, Amanda_ as her Sergeant made her way back toward her own desk.

"Please, try to contain your enthusiasm," Heather deadpanned, winking at her friend before plopping tiredly on the sofa in her office.

Olivia smiled briefly at her before redirecting her attention back to her computer screen. "Sorry, just give me one second to wrap up this email and I'm all yours…"

"Sure, sure." Heather waved a hand dismissively as she stood, making her way around the office, scrutinizing the pictures and placards on the Lieutenant's walls along the way. When Olivia finally perched her glasses atop her head and shut her laptop, Heather glanced at her. "You know, I think it might be easier to schedule a meeting with the President…"

Olivia looked at her blankly. "I'm lost."

"You guys have been back in town for almost a week and I'm _just now_ getting to see you," Heather complained.

"Hey, I only had to reschedule once," Olivia countered, leaning back in her chair and smiling teasingly at Heather.

"Only because we never made firm plans after you had to cancel the first time," Heather teased back.

Both Ed and Olivia had built in a day off when they'd returned from Paris to gradually help shift their minds back to "reality", but a doozy of a case had come into SVU while they were in-flight, and Olivia was beckoned to the station not long after they'd arrived back at the apartment. After working on it around the clock, her squad had only just wrapped up the case in the last day or so, and Olivia was using whatever spare time she could get at her desk to catch up on the onslaught of emails she'd missed while in Paris.

But Heather, she knew, would have none of that. She took a minute to appreciate her energetic, mostly charming and very high-strung friend, before smiling sweetly. "I missed you."

"Yeah, yeah… It's too late for that," Heather dismissed her, sitting back on the couch and crossing her legs at the knee. "Tell me about your trip and I might forgive you." Just as Olivia opened her mouth to respond, Heather threw her arms up. "Wait! Get over here," she said, patting the couch beside her. "I can't take you seriously when you're sitting at that desk." Olivia rolled her eyes, making a show of getting up and crossing the room, but as soon as she settled onto the cushion beside her, Heather was back-to-business, chin perched on her hand and her elbow propped on her knee. "So?" she prompted impatiently. "Was it amazing? Tell me everything…"

##

"Hey, Dominic," Ed coaxed. "We want to work this out without anyone getting hurt." He shot a look to the Captain of the ESU team before his eyes scanned the rooftops of neighboring buildings, surveying the snipers that were in position. Hopefully they could get this resolved without having to tap into those resources. "Now, we've got the money you asked for. Whaddaya say we let Amy go?"

"No, no…"

Ed closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers as he registered the agitation in Dominic's voice. Instead of calming down, he seemed to be escalating – the exact opposite of what they needed to happen to ensure that everyone got out of that house unharmed.

"Amy stays with me. I'm in charge here," Dominic stressed.

"That's right," Ed placated him. "You're in charge. And I know you don't want Amy to get hurt, right, Dominic?"

Silence.

Ed muted the microphone and craned his neck to talk to one of the tactical guys on scene. "Ramirez, we got a visual inside, yet?"

"Two subjects," Ramirez confirmed. "One male, armed. The female appears to be unarmed." Ed nodded; that's what they had been working off of.

"Do we have a shot, if it comes to that?"

The tech grimaced, watching Dominic's figure pace across his field of view. "If he stops moving, maybe… but he's pacing – no guarantee the hostage isn't in the line of fire."

"Shit," Ed muttered.

"Sorry, Captain."

Ed nodded in acknowledgement, turning the mic on his headset back on and facing the brownstone, his eyes narrow, determined. "Dominic? You there, buddy?"

A sigh came through the headset, followed by a weary, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm here."

"Good," Ed nodded. "That's good." He wiped a hand down his face and took a deep breath. "Listen, Dominic, I really want to help you. I want to make sure everyone gets out of this okay. Will ya let me help you?" He waited a beat; silence. "We've got your money. What else?"

"I…I don't know."

"That's okay; we can work it out." Ed was encouraged. Dominic was losing steam; he seemed to be less agitated. "Can you do me a favor?"

More silence, but Ed pressed on.

"Can you let Amy talk? Can you tell me if she's okay?"

Dominic's terse reply sounded in Ed's ear. "She's fine."

Then, suddenly, there were a flurry of voices coming through the earpiece, increasing in agitation, and Ed looked up, a worried expression on his face as he heard a woman cry out and then scream.

Ed listened, helpless, as a shot rang out, followed by another before the ESU team stormed the brownstone guns drawn, with Ed standing in the street outside, eerie silence transmitting into his ear, no one on the other end.

##

Heather handed Olivia's phone back to her, having just finished scrolling through the album labeled _Paris._

"Okay. I think we've covered everything... except, of course," she raised her eyebrow scandalously, "for the sex."

"We had plenty," Olivia said around a smile, not missing a beat.

Heather craned her neck, swirling her wrist in silent provocation for Olivia to elaborate, but when she didn't, Heather clucked in disappointment. "That's it? _We had plenty_?"

"I think you're already way too interested in my sex life," Olivia chuckled. "You have also _seen_ way too much of my sex life," she reminded. "I'm not enabling you."

Heather looked poised to argue, but a soft rap on the office door stole her attention and Olivia beckoned Carisi inside.

"What's up? Something break?"

"Kinda. I just got lab results and thought you might wanna know," he trailed off, eyeing Heather, silently wondering whether he should continue in her presence.

"She's fine," Olivia assured him, astutely figuring out the source of his hesitation. "Whatcha got?"

"Positive ID from the fluids found on the vic's clothes," he declared. "Belong to one," he eyed the sheet in his hand, "Harold Whitfield. Just released six weeks ago from a bid in Rikers. Aggravated rape," he rolled his eyes.

"It would appear that Harold didn't learn his lesson," Olivia observed. "Go to his last known and bring him in. Take Fin."

Lieu nodded determinedly, lifting his hand in a half-hearted salute before turning for the door. "On it, Lieu." He paused in the doorway, before smiling back at Heather. "Nice to see you again."

"You, too!" Heather called after him. "He's a nice kid," she observed before looking back at Olivia. "So, fluids—?"

"—Are exactly what you think they are," Olivia finished for her, standing up to head back to her desk.

"Huh." Heather nodded absently before laying the palm of her hand softly on the cushion of the couch and scrutinizing it thoughtfully. "Wonder if there are any fluids on this couch…"

Olivia could only shake her head. "You are impossible."

##

The transmission came over the radio.

 _Both subjects deceased_.

Ed's eyes slipped shut as he slowly removed the headset, holding it loosely in his hands as he paced. He went over every back-and-forth of his conversation with Dominic, trying to figure out where he went wrong, what he could've done better. He was nearly oblivious to the bustle going on in the aftermath of the failed negotiation.

That is, until another radio transmission pulled him from his own mind and brought him right back to the scene.

 _Found a female infant in a bedroom closet_.

Ed did an about-face to look at the brownstone as the baby's cries came through the speakers in the background.

 _Appears unharmed. Bringing her out to have EMS look at her_.

Intense, piercing blue eyes watched the façade of the brownstone unwaveringly until the front door opened and out came an ESU officer holding the now screaming child in his arms.

Before Ed could even compute what was happening, his legs were taking him across the street until he was standing in front of her, reaching for her as she leaned into his arms.

"Hi, princess," Ed cooed, bouncing on his knees as he held her to his chest. To his surprise, she started calming almost immediately, until they were staring at each other silently, blue eyes staring into blue eyes.

She seemed almost as fascinated with him as he was with her. He felt his lips twitch into a smirk as she brought one of her pudgy arms up so she could touch his face, manipulating his cheeks in her strong fingers and blowing bubbles at him with her lips.

Ed raised his eyebrows playfully, making noises at her until she squirmed happily in his arms, giving him a gummy smile and continuing to pinch his cheeks.

Feeling the gaze of the officers coming out of the brownstone, he tore his eyes from hers to the officer he took her from. "She theirs?"

"Don't know," he shrugged and Ed sighed, running the backs of his fingers along the baby-soft skin of her cheek. She was beautiful. Fair skin, soft wisps of light brown hair lay unruly on her head, and she had the brightest, most soulful blue eyes he'd ever seen on a child.

"Let's get you checked out, huh, princess?" Without another word, he turned and bounced on his knees the whole way toward the EMS bus.

…

The blood-curdling screams returned when he tried to hand her off to EMS and when she tried to pull herself back into his embrace, the paramedic smiled at him gently, "Feel like a ride, Captain?"

He rubbed the baby's back comfortingly as she quieted again in his arms and climbed into the back of the EMS van. He repositioned her in his arms as they got comfortable and, without taking his eyes off of her face as she played with the knot on his tie, he said gruffly to the paramedic, "Ready when you guys are."

They rocked as the van moved down the NYC streets toward Mercy Hospital, and while the baby was transfixed by his badge, trying to fit the leather case into her mouth, he reached into his pocket for his phone to check on his guys who were still on-scene.

The screen came to life to show a text from Olivia, sent before the negotiation went sideways.

 _How's it going?_

Quickly, he replied, " _two dead, en route to mercy"_ before opening another message and asking for a status update on the scene.

He was halfway through typing when Olivia called, a photo of her and Noah taking over his screen.

"Hey," he answered softly.

She wasted no time with pleasantries, worried after seeing his text that he was on the way to the hospital. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Ed smiled softly, hearing the worry in her voice. "I'm fine," he assured her. He leaned away from the baby when she squealed and reached for his phone, no doubt to try and put it in her mouth like she had everything else.

In her office, Olivia furrowed her brow at the noise she could hear in the background. "Was that a baby?"

"Yeah," Ed chuckled. "ESU found a baby girl in a closet when they swept the place after…" He trailed off, not quite ready to bring himself to finish the sentence.

"Oh, _Ed_ ," Olivia sighed. She had so many questions, but forced herself to only ask the most important one, "Is she okay?"

"Seems to be," he said lightly. "Screams bloody murder whenever I try to hand her off to someone else, though. So we're on the way to Mercy. DCS is meeting us there."

##

"You ready to go, little lady?"

Ed smiled as the case agent cooed at the baby, trying to get the infant to warm to her. He knew that sometimes dealing with DCS was a crapshoot, but it made him feel better and eased an anxiety that he wasn't expecting, to know that he was handing this sweet girl off to the arms of someone caring.

Ed shifted the baby girl in his arms to more easily make the handoff to the case agent and his heart clenched when he saw her lower lip jut out, the adorable pout signaling an impending meltdown.

"You'll be alright, princess," he assured her softly, rubbing his thumb along the back of her pudgy hand that stubbornly refused to let go of his index finger.

The case agent gradually turned away, gradually breaking the connection between Ed and the infant. "Thanks for your help, Captain…"

Ed nodded silently, smiling as she walked further away, the baby's cries increasing in volume as the distance between her and her savior grew.

Finally, they rounded the corner, disappearing from his sight and Ed released a heavy sigh as the screams abated and he was left in the normal bustle and rhythmic beeps of the hospital corridor again. He tiredly rubbed his palm across his forehead, reaching into his pocket for his cell phone as he trudged in the opposite direction.

Phone in hand, he dialed the only person whose voice he really needed to hear.

Olivia answered on the first ring.

" _Hey_ ," she breathed. " _How are things going over there?"_

Ed sighed. "Clean bill of health – no signs of abuse, thank God," he briefed her. "DCS just took her."

Olivia paused, and in his mind's eye, he could practically see her, nodding silently in acknowledgement, leaning back in her office chair while she dissected every nuance of his tone. "Are _you_ okay?"

He wanted to say that he was; that he could let the events of the day just roll off his back. But he couldn't; this case, _that baby_. They'd gotten under his skin. He wasn't used to that.

"I'm…" He let out a humorless chuckle, rubbing a hand down his face again before he continued, his voice belying his affectedness. "How the hell do you do this every day?"

" _Ed_." It wasn't much of an answer; it wasn't one at all, really. But it was all she could muster because truthfully, she had no idea. "Are you heading back to the scene or the office?"

"Ah," he sighed. He'd been texting with the Lieutenant on-scene and CSU had wrapped up processing the scene an hour ago. "The paperwork can wait until tomorrow. I just… want to be with my family tonight."

He couldn't see her face, but his words brought a smile to her lips and she twirled her pen between her fingers as she looked out into the squad room, nearly empty now despite the flurry of activity it had been earlier.

"I'm wrapping up here now," she told him. "I'll be home soon."

"Sounds good." He was just about to hang up but at the last second heard her say something on the other end and brought his phone back to his ear. "You say something else?"

"Just that I love you."

He could hear the smile in her voice and it was enough to spread a smile across his lips as well.

"Love you too, Liv."

##

Olivia closed the last book of the evening, _Goodnight Moon_ , and looked up to find Noah fast asleep, his breath coming out in even little puffs against his favorite stuffed animal.

She reached out and let her palm softly graze the back of his head before leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Goodnight, sweet boy," she whispered. "Mommy loves you."

Gingerly, she stood, replacing the book on the shelf and quietly backing out of the room, closing the door over behind her.

When she made it back to the living room, she noticed Ed's head just barely clearing the top of the arm of the couch from where he still sat, perched on the floor amongst Noah's toys. He turned, a small smile on his lips, when he sensed her presence.

"He go down okay?"

"Didn't even make it through _Goodnight Moon_ ," Olivia nodded. "You want another drink while I'm up?"

Ed eyed the empty tumbler on the coffee table that had at one point, earlier in the evening, held bourbon and shook his head. "Nah… better not."

Olivia made her way closer to him and when he moved to get up from the floor, she held her hands out to stop him. "Don't," she said, and subsequently folded herself on the floor beside him. At his raised eyebrow, she stretched her legs out in front of her and tapped her hands on her lap, silently beckoning him to lay his head there.

Ed's eyes darted from her lap to her face, where she sat looking at him with a patient smile. "You realize we may never get up from down here, right?"

"Speak for yourself," she scoffed. She narrowed her eyes at him playfully, and when he showed no signs of moving, she gripped the sleeve of his t-shirt between two fingers and tugged him closer. "Just lay down, Ed," she chuckled.

She sat still while he got comfortable and when he settled, she laid a hand on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her fingers while the other hand absently ran through the coarse gray hair atop his head.

Her eyes traveled the length of his face, the blue eyes that she loved so much tucked safely behind closed lids as he relaxed into her, and she felt his chest rise and fall beneath her hand as he took a deep breath.

"So…" she began. "You had an interesting day." At the sound of her voice, his eyes opened again and he covered the hand on his chest with one of his own, intertwining their fingers as he nodded.

"Not quite how I pictured _easing back into it_ ," he admitted dryly, a smirk finding home on his lips as he looked up into the deep comfort of her eyes.

"That case got to you," she observed, squeezing his hand.

It wasn't a question. She'd heard the shift in his voice on the phone earlier, watched as he made a point to spend extra time with Noah tonight; held him a little closer, played with him a little more than he might have on a normal night.

"Ed," Olivia prodded. "Talk to me."

When he was at IAB, Ed had never come home reeling from a case like this. Cops were dirty, or they weren't – there wasn't much room for anything to get under his skin. He'd considered the possibility of that changing with the switch to HNT, being thrust into cases where lives were very much at stake, every day, but he hadn't anticipated this. And even still, it wasn't so much the case that had him rattled – though, obviously, a failed negotiation wasn't something he considered a job "well done" – it was Baby Girl Doe.

"I've never…" he began, swallowing thickly. "It was the weirdest thing, Liv." Ed glanced at her briefly before continuing. "As soon as they walked out with her, we … _gravitated_ toward each other," he said, his voice full of wonder. "Soon as I got close enough, she was reaching for me."

"Do they know yet if she was theirs?"

Ed shook his head against her thigh. "Not yet. She's still Baby Girl Doe."

"Poor baby," Olivia clucked. She absently ran her thumb along Ed's where their hands were laced together, her other hand still stroking his hair. She couldn't help but let her mind travel back to the day she pulled Noah out of that dresser drawer, the instant connection she had felt to him then. And though she hadn't known what it was at the time, she remembered thinking – no, _believing_ – that their paths had been meant to cross that day.

"Whenever I tried to hand her off to someone, poor thing screamed bloody murder," he chuckled. "Rugrat kept tryin' to eat my badge, my tie… anything she could fit in there." Both Ed and Olivia laughed softly, before his face grew serious again. "I'm just worried about her –"

"—Don't want her to be alone? Afraid she thinks you abandoned her?" At Ed's nod of agreement and labored intake of breath, Olivia continued. "I know," she said benevolently. When Ed met her eyes again, she smiled. "I was the same way when we found Noah," she shared. They'd talked about Noah's journey to her, how she'd all but given hope on being a mother until he'd practically fallen into her lap. Ed appreciated it at the time, but she sensed that he hadn't truly _understood_ what it had been like to feel connected to a child in that way, that fast, before today. "This innocent little thing caught up in this big mess of a case, not knowing who he belonged to…" She trailed off and took a breath. "I know exactly how you're feeling right now."

Ed nodded and for a few moments, they sat in silence; Ed still working on digesting the events of the day and Olivia being there to absorb it all with him.

"You should go see her," she suggested, after a while. She was thinking about her own experience, how she'd had to check on _Baby Boy Doe_ while he was in DCS custody, just to give herself peace of mind and, even if he didn't understand it or who she was, to show him that he wasn't alone. Not really.

"At DCS?"

"Yeah," she said, as if the answer were obvious. "Why not?" Olivia watched his face while he considered her words. "Just…be with her. So she's not alone. It'll make you feel better, too."

"Maybe you're right."

"Not _maybe_ ," Olivia said, not missing a beat as she smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "I am. You should go see her," she repeated. "Maybe by then they'll have some info on her family, and it can put your mind at ease a little bit."

##

They stayed like that for a while longer, Ed's read resting in Olivia's lap, recapping the events of the day until their tired bodies inevitably began protesting the prolonged exposure to the floor. They helped each other up, dividing and conquering to make sure the apartment was secure and Noah was still settled before making their way to their room.

Ed flicked the light off in the bathroom, carefully making his way to his side of the bed by the soft light coming in through the window from the street lamp outside. Olivia felt the bed dip as he climbed in beside her, and almost immediately, his arm wrapped around her waist has he spooned behind her.

"You still wanna marry me?" Ed whispered in her ear, eliciting a shiver down her spine.

Olivia heard the smile in his voice and held in a chuckle as he burrowed closer behind her, his body finding and eliminating every last millimeter of space between them, his breath tickling her neck. "I guess you'll do," she teased, patting the hand that was drawing lazy circles on her stomach beneath her tank top.

"You love me," he countered cockily, leaning back when she turned around in his arms. She took one of his hands in hers and with the other, cupped his cheek and pulled him in for a kiss.

"You know I do," she whispered, resting her forehead against his.

"Two weeks."

So it was…

The Big Day. Already only two weeks away – and then they would be _married_. Mr.  & Mrs. Edward Tucker. With Noah, they made a family.

It would forever blow her mind that she'd actually managed to find someone to do this with… to give her son everything she _hadn't_ had growing up.

She smiled radiantly at him. "I can't believe how fast these past few months have flown by."

"You ready?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her in challenge while squeezing her hand in his.

"More than," Olivia promised.

Their legs tangled as they scooted closer together, sharing a pillow and swapping lazy kisses as they drifted closer and closer to sleep. Olivia could see in his eyes that he was still preoccupied, the fate of Baby Girl Doe weighing on his mind.

"Hey," she prompted. "She's gonna be okay. But I really do think you should go visit her…"

Ed nodded in agreement. "Sorry, I'm out of sorts," he murmured, looking at her with a softness in his eyes that she wondered if she'd ever really get used to.

"Don't be," Olivia smiled and shrugged, bringing their hands to her lips and kissing the back of his before wrapping his arm around her and cuddling into his chest. "It's my turn to be the rock."

##

 **A/N: I solemnly swear to do everything I can to make sure there is NOT an almost three month gap before the next update. Thanks for hanging in there, and I hope it was worth the wait. Onto the next… Review?**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Only a couple more after this…**

##

Olivia twitched awake, slowly opening her eyes and letting them adjust to the dim early morning light before she craned her neck, pushing her pillow out of the way to look at the alarm clock.

 _5:45_.

They probably had a half hour before there would be movement from Noah's room, and she smiled, stretching the sleep out of her joints. Ed had been pressed against her back when they'd succumbed to sleep the night before, but only his arm remained on her now and she lifted it from her stomach before turning to face him.

Even when they drifted away in sleep, unconsciously—or maybe completely consciously, some part of him was always touching some part of her.

Beside her, Ed's eyes were still closed, his mouth hung slightly open in sleep and she could see indentations on the side of his face where it had been pressed into the pillow before he turned over. Olivia smoothed her hand up his arm, gently massaging his shoulder, and he licked him lips to moisten them before gravelly asking, "Somethin' I can help you with?"

"G'morning, sleepyhead," she cooed, her own voice a little rough from sleep. She scooted a little closer to him and let her hand travel down his side before a finger dipped beneath the waist of his boxers.

"Watch that hand, Lieutenant…"

Olivia smiled and watching his eyes slowly flicker open to meet hers. She propped herself up on an elbow, letting the sheet fall away from her chest, and leaned over to kiss his shoulder, her lips igniting a trail up to the spot behind his ear. "We've got about a half hour before Noah's up," she whispered seductively. "And I was thinking—"

"That, is always dangerous," Ed quipped before he relented, rolling onto his back and letting his own hands roam over her body.

"As I was saying," she ignored him, still kissing at his neck and jaw, his early-morning stubble scratching at her skin, "I was thinking… about Paris…" she trailed off biting her lip as his hands made their way under her tank top to the heated skin of her stomach.

Ed closed his eyes to the memories, feeling his body react to hers.

Throwing one of her legs between his, Olivia reached a hand into his boxers and smiled when he let out a muted groan. "Remember that one night," she kissed his lips, "after Noah was asleep," her lips slid to his cheek before drifting down to his neck and nipping at his earlobe again, "we lit some candles, opened the balcony doors, spread our blankets and pillows on the floor…"

"That night was somethin'," Ed whispered, threading a hand through her hair and pulling her lips to his.

"That whole trip was something," she countered softly against his lips, adjusting herself so she was straddling him. "I love you," she murmured. Appreciatively, she ran her hands up and down the length of his arms before massaging his chest.

"I love you, too."

Olivia moaned when his hands slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, gliding up her stomach before he held both of her breasts in his hands.

She leaned forward, hips grinding insistently over his increasing arousal while she captured his lips. One of his hands slipped out from beneath her shirt to cup her neck, his thumb gently coaxing her mouth open and she sighed into his mouth at the first touch of his tongue.

"Baby, I—" Before she could finish her thought, they heard Noah's voice from down the hall, his echo coming through the baby monitor. He was calling for her. Defeated, her movement ceased and she rested her forehead against his. "Too good to be true," she said with a small smile.

Ed squeezed her thighs gently, a smirk curling his lips. "Kinda reminds me of _another_ night in Paris…"

Olivia dismounted him and slid off the bed, reaching for her robe on the back of the door. "I know," she laughed. Then, eyeing the erection impressively tenting his boxers, she raised an eyebrow before impishly suggesting that he grab the first shower while she got Noah situated.

…

Later, when Olivia rejoined them in the living room after completing her own morning routine, she noticed Ed had already affixed his badge and gun to his hip. He looked ready to go.

She looked at the clock. "Going in a little early?"

Ed nodded as he stood from the couch, where he'd been sitting with Noah. "That paperwork is waiting for me," he explained.

Olivia stopped organizing Noah's bag for daycare, eyes narrowing as she regarded him carefully. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he assured her. She cocked her head at him, her expression ripe with skepticism and he huffed a breathy laugh. "I promise." Stepping over to where she stood at the counter, he lovingly grasped her upper arm and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Thank you for last night." He paused, smirking. "And this morning…"

"Of course." She leaned in, her lips catching the corner of his mouth and when she pulled away, she wiped away a smudge of her lip-gloss with her thumb.

Ed kissed Noah's head and bid him a good day at daycare before making his way to the door. He stopped when he heard her call his name.

She smiled warmly at him when he turned. "Go see her."

The compassion he found in her eyes was disarming and for a moment, he was struck immobile, frozen as he became startlingly aware, not for the first time, of just how much she meant to him.

Bewildered, he shook his head subtly to compose himself before the words _I love you_ tumbled from his lips.

Barely above a whisper, but they registered in her ears as if he'd shouted them into a megaphone.

##

"Knock, knock…"

"Olivia Benson, as I live and breathe..." Melinda Warner's voice betrayed her surprise and she waved her colleague in from where she stood leaned up against the doorframe. "You usually send your minions to do your bidding, Lieutenant," she said around an easy smile.

Olivia simpered, settling into a chair opposite Melinda's desk. "This isn't actually case-related."

"Just coming to say hi? Lucky me—"

"—Not _SVU_ case-related," Olivia amended with an apologetic grimace.

Melinda cocked her head contemplatively, eyeing the Lieutenant. "I should've known," she ribbed with a smile. "You only seek me out when you need a favor and you need me to keep it off the books." She was teasing, but she couldn't resist an opportunity to level Olivia with a challenging glare, daring her to argue.

Olivia pressed her hand to her chest in affront, "Melinda, I—"

"Relax, Liv. I'm just giving you a hard time, " Warner said. "What brings you down amongst us mere mortals?" she asked, gesturing at their surroundings.

Breathing in deeply, Olivia began. "Ed was on the scene of a negotiation yesterday that, ah," she pursed her lips, "didn't end well," she finished gently, waiting for Melinda's nod before continuing. "They found an infant in the house and they're not sure who she belongs to." Melinda raised her eyebrow. "Ed was with her at Mercy when they checked her out. She's with DCS now, until they find her family."

"What do you need from me?"

"Just…" Olivia clasped her hands in her lap. "I imagine they'll be asking you to run her DNA against the two vics—"

Melinda smirked knowingly, deducing, "You want to know if she's theirs."

Gratefully, Olivia nodded. "I've never seen a case get to him like this, Mel. I know it's not SVU… but I want to stay in the loop as much as I can. For him," she added.

Rifling through some file folders on her desk, Melinda found the one she was looking for and eyed Olivia over the top of it as she read. "Dominic Stanza and Amy Brooks?" At Olivia's nod, she put the files down and sat up straight in her chair. "I've got a few guests in line ahead of them," she said dryly, "but I should get to them today. I'll call you when I know something."

"Thank you," Olivia said sincerely.

"Anything for New York's finest…" Melinda teased. "So, Ed, huh? You a Tucker yet?"

Olivia huffed a laugh and picked at a piece of lint on her dress pants with a patient smile. "Soon, but not yet…"

"I gotta say," Melinda shook her head, "I still can't believe how that turned out."

"Y'know," Olivia sighed. "Sometimes I can't either. He's a good man," she shared softly.

Melinda didn't miss a beat. "He'd have to be, if he got you."

"You're sweet." Olivia stood up, turning slowly for the door. She remembered her plans tonight with Heather and Rollins, a girls night in lieu of the bachelorette party she didn't think was appropriate to have despite Heather's repeated attempts to convince her otherwise. She paused just inside the threshold, her hand gripping the doorframe as she looked over her shoulder at one of few people she could consider a constant throughout her years at SVU, even if it was on the periphery. "You doing anything tonight?"

Melinda shook her head. "You don't owe me anything, Olivia…"

"No, it's not that," Olivia dismissed, turning fully to face her. "Amanda and I are grabbing a drink with my friend Heather tonight," she waved her hand, "sort of a pre-wedding girls night thing… You should come."

"I'll think about it." Melinda promised, and with a final nod and smile, Olivia headed out, making her way back to her own office and her own cases—anything to distract from even the possibility of more information about Baby Girl Doe.

##

"You still my best man, bud?"

Noah nodded without looking up, his response matter-of-fact. "I always da best man, Daddy."

"That's right." Ed absently twirled his own pen around as he watched Noah furiously scribble in his coloring book, his tongue hanging out of his mouth in concentration.

The wedding was quickly approaching, and Ed couldn't believe that in a matter of mere days, Olivia would be his wife, and Noah his son. Officially.

But thinking about the wedding reminded him that he had yet to finish his vows, and as soon as Olivia told him she wasn't going to make it home before the get-together with the girls, Ed knew he wanted to use this opportunity to make some headway on what he wanted to say to her.

It was the most important speech he'd ever give, and up to this point, he was almost convinced that there weren't words to explain as thoroughly as he'd like, just how much he loved her and Noah.

Ed's eyes stared at the blank paper in front of him. "Hey, Noah?"

"Hmm?"

Ed leaned forward when Noah looked up at him, and they stared at each other across the coffee table. "You wanna help me with a super secret best man project?"

Excitedly, Noah raised his hands in the air. "Yes!"

"It's super, _super_ secret. You can't tell Mommy," Ed cautioned him, fighting a smile at the sight of the toddler bouncing excitedly in anticipation. "You think you can keep it a secret?"

Noah grew very serious, miming locking his lips and throwing away the key. "I don't tell Mommy."

Ed looked at him intensely, pretending to debate whether or not to bring Noah in on the secret project, before he finally relented with a wink. "C'mere, kiddo," he prodded, beckoning Noah to his side of the table. With Noah settled in his lap, he began to explain. "You remember how Mommy and I are getting married, right?"

"Yep," Noah nodded dutifully. "You be my daddy forever."

"Right, bud. And when your mommy and me get married, we're gonna make some promises to each other. D'you remember what a promise is?"

"Like when I tell Mommy I pick up my toys?"

Ed laughed, "Exactly. It's just like when you tell your mommy you're gonna pick up your toys. When you make a promise like that, you _hafta_ do what you say you're gonna do."

"Right," Noah nodded seriously. "Or Mommy trips on da blocks and get mad."

"You got it, bud." Chuckling, Ed kissed the top of Noah's head before he continued. "Mommy and I are writing our own promises to each other for when we get married…and I was hopin' you'd help me with mine." Noah blinked when Ed booped the tip of his nose with his index finger. "I'm gonna promise to love you both forever and ever, and to always be here to protect you from the bad guys…"

"That good," Noah shrugged.

"What else d'you think I should promise her?"

"How 'bout…" The toddler thought hard, and Ed smirked, practically visualizing the wheels turning in his mind. "…You po'mise to a'ways chew foods wiff your mouf closed," Noah suggested, regarding his dad seriously. "Mommy _a'ways_ tell me that."

"That's a good one, Noah," Ed ruffled his hands through Noah's hair, dutifully writing down the suggestion before putting his pen back on the coffee table. "Now—what else ya got?"

##

"Are we waiting for one more?"

Heather opened her mouth to say no, but Olivia silenced her with a raised hand and smiled at the waiter. "Yes, one more. She's on her way; we can start with drinks while we wait."

"Who else is coming?"

"I invited Melinda," Olivia looked at Amanda before turning her attention to explain to Heather. "She's our Chief Medical Examiner. I've known her almost as long as I've been with SVU."

The waiter took their drink orders and, settling in, the trip swapped kid stories while they waited, distractedly perusing the menu.

Minutes later, Melinda walked up to the table and dropped unceremoniously into the booth beside Olivia. "Sorry I'm late," she breathed. "Hit-and-run in Gramercy. Bastard bowled over four people," she complained, shaking her head.

"Jesus," Amanda hissed. "Drunk?"

"Probably," Melinda dismissed, turning to Olivia. "Anyway, I meant to call you before I left. I got the results back you were asking about…" Olivia could feel the inquisitive stares of Amanda and Heather from across the table but pointedly ignored them, focusing only on Melinda. "Your baby mystery has quite the plot twist, Lieutenant."

For some reason, Olivia found herself devoid of oxygen, and she took a moment to breathe before asking. "Yeah?"

Warner nodded. "I don't know who the father is," she said, her eyebrow lifting. "But I _can_ tell you it's not Dominic Stanza."

 _Plot twist indeed._

The only non-law enforcement person at the table, Heather's eyes darted between Melinda and Olivia before her gaze settled on Amanda. "Why do you look as lost as I feel?"

Amanda struggled to acknowledge Heather and keep up with what was happening on the other side of the table before the waiter reappeared. "I…uh—"

" _Who wants drinks?_ "

The group was momentarily distracted, and Melinda took the opportunity to place her own order. When they were a foursome once again, Olivia filled in some of the blanks.

"I asked Melinda to look into a case for me," she looked at Amanda, "not SVU. It's for Ed."

"Roger that," Amanda nodded.

"And while we're on the subject of that sexy man of yours…" Heather lifted her glass. "Now that we're all here, and we all have booze," she winked at Melinda who was clutching her recently delivered drink, "let's toast—"

"—Maybe you should stop there," Olivia interrupted. "You still haven't lived down your toast at our engagement party," she reminded.

"I got this, Liv," Amanda laughed. She lifted her glass higher and reached to the middle of the table. Sweetly, she smiled at her Lieutenant, who had become a closer friend than she'd anticipated, " _To Olivia and Ed_."

Olivia winced good-naturedly against the cacophony of cheers and _woos_ that erupted from her companions as soon as their glasses clinked.

She took a second healthy sip of her drink before setting it on the table and spinning the glass in her hands. "Thanks, guys."

"When did _that_ start?" Melinda asked, jutting her chin toward the tumbler of amber liquid.

"I've always been equal opportunity with my alcohol, Mel. You know that," she chided teasingly, referring to many an occasion in the early days when the M.E. would join her and the guys for a drink after some of their particularly rough cases.

Amanda smiled when Melinda's only response was a disbelieving _mhmm_ before she took a sip of her own drink, grinning against the rim of her glass. "So, have y'all decided on where to take the honeymoon, Liv?"

"I think we're gonna wait a little while before we take one," Olivia shared. "We _just_ got back from Paris—"

"I thought I heard something about that," Melinda prompted. "How was it?"

"Don't bother," Heather cut in, rolling her eyes. "She won't share any of the good stuff."

"It was beautiful," Olivia ignored her friend. "I'm really glad we got to go, and I'm glad we were able to take Noah."

Heather closed her eyes, dramatically grasping Olivia's forearm tightly in her hand. "You know how much I love that boy, but _please_ tell me he's not going on the honeymoon."

Olivia laughed. "No. That, when we get around to it, will be an adults-only trip. I owe Ed that."

"You owe _yourself_ that, honey," Melinda clucked, drawing more laughter and agreement from the group.

…

"I am not singing."

" _Liiiiiiiv_ ," Heather whined.

"Not enough booze in the world, my friend," Olivia sing-songed, swirling her glass in her hand as she smiled excessively sweetly at her friend.

Heather looked across the table to Melinda, her eyes pleading with the M.E. to help her convince Olivia to let loose a little.

"I don't know why you're looking at me, sweetheart," Melinda retorted, her face expressionless. She snorted with laughter at the affronted look on Heather's face before Amanda rolled her eyes, stepping in and taking one for the team.

"C'mon Heather, I'll sing with you," Amanda chuckled, pushing the other woman out of the booth they'd secured toward the rear of a karaoke bar not far from where they'd first started.

"Yes!" Heather cheered, tipsily resting her head on the Sergeant's shoulder as they weaved through the crowd to get to the small table at the foot of the stage, where the binder was that held the song choices.

Dubiously, Olivia and Melinda watched from the safety of the booth as Amanda and Heather giggled, their heads huddled together as they flipped page after page of song selections.

"Where'd you find that one?" Melinda cocked her head toward Heather and glanced at Olivia out of the side of her eye.

Olivia took a sip of her drink before answering. "Her son and Noah are in the same class at daycare," Olivia explained with a good-natured roll of her eyes. "She also owns a cute boutique not far from my apartment. We bonded," she shrugged.

Spotting the other half of their foursome making their way back to the table again, Olivia waited until they got closer and then asked, "Well? What'd you pick?"

"It's a surprise," Heather teased, wiggling her eyebrows as she flagged down a nearby server.

"A surprise I'm gonna need my inhibitions a little lower for…" Amanda added, chuckling darkly as she ordered a shot of tequila.

Sharing a look, Olivia and Melinda both groaned. "When do you go up?"

Heather listened to the song being performed and conferred with Amanda, "I think there's one person after this guy, then us," she finished brightly.

The guy before their turn ended up getting booed off the stage halfway through his song, and it felt like no time had passed before the DJ was calling Heather and Amanda up.

"Here goes nothin'," Amanda laughed, pounding another shot before following Heather, who was somehow already on the stage and holding a microphone.

"My best friend is getting married in a little over a week," she told the crowd, riling them up to the point where the noise level inside the bar was nearly deafening. "Liv," Heather said, shielding her eyes from the spotlights so she could find their table in the back and then pointing to it, "this one's for you, hot stuff. Happy wedding!"

Olivia jumped when the music started, a familiar rumble of thunder preceding unmistakable disco notes. Her eyes slipped shut in realization and she covered her face with her hands as Heather and Amanda performed an exuberant, if off-pitch, rendition of _It's Raining Men_.

Next to her, Melinda's jaw dropped, her eyes glued to the musical train wreck on the stage as her shoulders shook violently with barely restrained laughter.

"Oh, my God."

##

It was after midnight when Olivia tiptoed into their apartment, exhaustion taking the place of her mild buzz after spending the last couple of hours nursing one drink and making sure Heather didn't get herself into trouble. Or, perhaps more accurately, _too much_ trouble.

She checked on Noah like she always did when she got home after he went to sleep, and after touching her lips to his forehead, she made her way into her and Ed's bedroom.

Moving carefully as she went about an abbreviated version of her nighttime routine, she used the backlight of her phone for guidance so she wouldn't need to turn on any lights as she changed out of the dress clothes she'd been in all day and into pajamas.

Gently, Olivia lifted the comforter on her side of the bed and carefully slid in beside Ed, trying not to disturb him. Her efforts were for naught, though, when he stirred as he felt the dip of her weight pressing into the mattress.

He rubbed his eyes. "Liv?"

She shushed him, her hand coming up to caress his cheek as she whispered, "I didn't mean to wake you."

His hand reached her hip and he pulled her closer, their foreheads touching where they lay facing each other against the pillows. "S'alright," he rasped, his thumb rubbing smooth circles against the bare skin between her camisole and shorts. "Didja have a good time?"

"We did," she nodded, stretching her neck so her lips touched his in a soft kiss. "How did things go here?"

Ed smiled tenderly as his eyes fell closed. He wasn't falling back asleep, just letting the feeling of contentment wash over him as he lay next to her after spending much of the evening at home with her son and working on his vows. They were on the tip of his tongue, begging to be freed, but instead, he teased her. "We had a good time. Taught him some cuss words, threw some toys around, got tattoos…"

"You're horrible," she nudged his chest halfheartedly.

"You love me anyway."

Olivia didn't respond, but he smiled when he felt her lips on the tip of his nose. They lay quietly for a while, neither of them quite falling into sleep, but not fully awake yet either.

"I asked Melinda about that case," she whispered. He grunted in question, eyes still closed and she pressed on. "Baby Girl Doe."

As she expected, his eyes opened at that, staring into hers. "Yeah?"

"The guy—Dominic," Olivia looked at Ed and he nodded, "He's not her father."

"But Amy's the mother?" This time, it was Olivia who nodded, and she scooted closer to him as he processed the new information. "So what happens now?"

"Now," Olivia took a deep breath, "It'll be up to DCS to find her next-of-kin, and assuming they find a living relative—or if Amy named anyone a guardian in a will—there will probably be a hearing to make sure whoever it is, is willing and able to care for the baby," she explained. "And then, she'll go to them."

"Good," he breathed into her hair, hugging her into his chest. "That's good. She'll have someone."

Olivia adjusted her head against him, tucking herself into his neck and breathing in the scent of him. "I missed you tonight," she whispered, lips sliding along the hot skin of his neck. "I feel like I've barely seen you since we got back," she complained.

"Back to the grind," he said understandingly. He lifted her chin, bringing her mouth to his and sucking on her bottom lip. "I, uh…" he chuckled against her mouth, remembering their thwarted activities earlier that morning, "I set the alarm for a little earlier tomorrow morning."

Olivia hummed, pulling her head back to look at him while her hands ran up and down his bare back. "We could wait until the morning," she said. " _Or…"_

"I like _or,_ " Ed offered, one hand dipping beneath the hem of her shirt, his fingertips tickling the skin of her stomach.

"…We could finish what we started this morning, right now, instead." Olivia kissed him, shoving her hand into his boxer shorts and gripping his ass as they pulled each other closer.

"Why choose one or the other? Why not both?"

"Yes," Olivia hissed when he pinched a hardened nipple between his fingers. "Both. Both is good," she agreed, taking his lips in a searing kiss as he pushed her onto her back and climbed on top of her. His hands gripped her shorts, and he disappeared beneath the blanket as he slid them down. Her hand found the back of his head when he parted her thighs, and she moaned when she felt two fingers push inside of her, his tongue circling her clit. "Both is very, _very_ good."

##

The next day, Olivia sat shoulder-to-shoulder with Ed, smiling as she peered over his arm at the squirming infant he was cradling as she finished off a bottle.

In the midst of an unusually quiet morning, Olivia had reached out to him to see if he was free to sneak away for lunch, only to discover that he had come here to spend time with Baby Girl Doe. Or, Baby Girl Brooks, as they had recently discovered, thanks to Melinda.

Without a second thought, she had been out the door to DCS, eager to meet the little one who had charmed her way so effortlessly under Ed's skin.

"It's so funny, that thing she does with her arms while she eats," Olivia chuckled, bringing the backs of her hands up over her eyes to mimic the movement while Ed huffed out a laugh beside her.

"Did Noah do that?"

Olivia thought for a moment. It felt like bottle-feeding Noah was much further in the past than it actually was. "No, I don't think so," she said softly. "He would just stare at me." Her eyes darted between Ed and the baby and she smiled before adding with a deadpan delivery, "Kinda like that."

"Feels like she's so…aware, ya know?" Ed glanced at Olivia, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "She's always lookin' around. It's like she's knows what's going on."

She could hear a twinge of…something in his voice— _guilt?_ —and she ran a soothing hand up and down his thigh to reassure him. "She probably recognizes you, and the people here," she said gently. "But she doesn't know what's going on, Ed. She won't remember this—any of it. By the time she gets older, hopefully she'll only remember being part of a loving family."

Transported back in time to almost three years ago, Olivia could remember having the same fear when she visited Noah. She hoped that the trauma of his infancy wouldn't follow him later in life and that, sooner rather than later, he would find himself in a loving atmosphere where he would be given the opportunity to grow and thrive. This was before she ever could have anticipated that he would find the fresh start he so desperately deserved, with her. And now, she thought with a tender smile, rather than be scarred by the events of his first few months of life, Noah would likely never remember a time before Ed existed in his life—a time before Ed was Daddy.

Ed hummed beside her and she reached up to lightly run her finger along the smooth skin of the baby's arm, chuckling when she purposefully brought Olivia's hand to her mouth and sucked on one of her fingers. "Does that taste good, sweet girl?"

When Ed offered to let her hold the baby, Olivia reached her arms to take her before settling her on her hip, bouncing with her knees around the room. They made funny faces at her, savored the sweet baby smell from her head, and laughed when she tested her lungs, screaming long and loud just because she found that she could.

Watching her flail in Olivia's grasp, arms and legs constantly moving, Ed smiled. "Feel how strong she is?"

"She'll be walking in no time," Olivia mused, nodding. "These arms and legs are desperate for something to do." She pinched the baby's neck and laughed when she shrunk away from the tickle. "Right, sweet girl?" Olivia cooed.

Passing her back to Ed, Olivia watched with amusement as Ed threw her into the air, bringing her down into his lap far enough that she pushed off his thighs before he threw her again, a grin spreading across his face as she smiled and laughed.

Olivia felt a tidal wave of affection for Ed as she witnessed how enamored he had become with this baby girl. There was no denying he was a great father; he had been absolutely perfect with Noah & the bond he had with her son was one of the things about him and their relationship that she was the most grateful for… It was touching, seeing the same love manifest itself differently in another child, and Olivia felt surer about their decision to expand their family together. If it came down to it, Noah would always be enough for them, but watching Ed with this little girl, she knew unequivocally that they both had so much more love to give.

She allowed a fleeting moment of trepidation to enter her thoughts as she watched them together. She could see in his eyes—Ed was getting attached.

While Baby Girl Brooks would surely have no memory of this experience, or of Ed, Olivia knew that she was under his skin, even more firmly now than she was two days ago. Wherever this sweet girl ended up, and with whom, Olivia could only hope there was some way that Ed could stay updated on her progress as she got older.

"How are things going in here?" Both Ed and Olivia looked up when Donna, the caseworker, entered the room.

"Good," Ed smiled. "She took almost a whole bottle."

"That's great," Donna said. She reached a hand out to Olivia to introduce herself. "I don't think we've met. Donna Grabel."

"Olivia Benson," the Lieutenant smiled. "I'm Ed's fiancée. It's nice to meet you."

"This little girl has grown quite fond of your fiancé," Diana smirked, knowingly eyeing Ed and the baby.

"So I've heard," Olivia laughed. "I can't get over how gorgeous she is…"

"She's a cutie, isn't she?" Donna smiled at them, and all three adults laughed when the baby shrunk shyly from all the attention. "Well, listen," she started. "I've got an update on her case, if you're interested."

"Please," Olivia prodded, her hand circling on Ed's back as she felt him tense beside her.

"Baby Girl Doe is no longer Baby Girl Doe," Donna reported happily. "We were able to confirm Amy Brooks is her mother, and that led us to her birth name."

"A name is good," Ed nodded, glancing at Olivia. "One step closer to finding her family, right?"

"Right," Donna agreed. "That's what we're working on now. There wasn't a father listed on her birth certificate, but we're tracking down Amy's relatives. In the meantime," she cocked her head at the baby with a smile, "allow me to formally introduce you to Abigail Rose Brooks."

As if on cue, she squealed, pumping her tiny fist in the air and blowing a spit bubble at Ed and Olivia. "Wonder if she recognizes her name," Olivia mused, chuckling as she used a nearby burp cloth to wipe Abigail's chin of copious amounts of drool.

Ed smoothed his hand over the back of her head, ducking down to catch her wandering eyes as he smiled at her, his body leaning almost imperceptibly into Olivia.

"Hi, Abby."

##

 **A/N: Review?**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Getting close to the end here, folks. …Of the story. I may have gone a bit OOC in this chapter. Sue me. (But really, don't. I don't have anything.)**

 **##**

"Finneous." Fin turned around at his desk to see Melinda sauntering into the squad room, a small smile on her face.

"Mel? What're you doing here?"

Rolling her eyes, the M.E. came to a stop at the edge of his desk. "You sure know how to make a girl feel welcome, Detective," she quipped.

Fin backpedaled, eyeing Amanda inquisitively across their desks as the Sergeant snorted in laughter. "I just didn't think we had any rape-homicides," he clarified. "How you been?"

"Keepin' busy," she nodded. Warner's gaze flitted briefly to the office behind Fin. "Your Lieutenant in?"

"Liv? Yeah, she's in her office," Fin jutted his chin in the direction of Olivia's open door, just as the Lieutenant herself crossed the threshold into the bull pen.

"Melinda," she smiled, hiking her purse higher more securely on her shoulder. "What brings you by?"

Warner held out a weathered leather jacket. "You left this in my car the other night," she explained with a smile.

As Olivia reached to retrieve the jacket, balancing it with the files she had tucked under her arm, Fin watched the exchange. He gestured between them, his face bearing an expression of confusion. "Y'all hang out?"

Olivia smirked, meeting Melinda's eyes and then Amanda's before returning her gaze to Fin. "Is that okay with you?" she chuckled, a perfectly arched eyebrow lifted in challenge.

Fin held his hands out in mock surrender. "Yeah, I mean… whatever y'all do on your own time…"

"I'm glad you approve," Olivia jibed. Shaking her head, she looked to Amanda, "I have an appointment this afternoon, so I'm headed out."

"Everything alright?"

Olivia waved a hand dismissively. "Just wedding stuff," she said, before pointing to Fin. "I just got off the phone with Barba and he's working on a warrant for that Carter case—DNA finally came back." Fin nodded, pushing back from his desk. "Take Carisi with you," her eyes scanned the squad room, "once he's back from… wherever he is…"

"That's a big ten-four," Fin saluted cheekily.

The Lieutenant eyed him, playfully un-amused. "Don't do that," she rebuked him, ignoring his grin while she directed her attention to Amanda. "Hold the fort?"

"Copy that," Amanda nodded. "Got ya covered, Liv."

"Thanks Amanda. Call me if anything big comes in. Have a good night guys." Shifting the items in her arms once again, Olivia smiled at Melinda, who'd sat back silently while she watched the squad volley back and forth. "Walk you out?" The M.E. nodded, shaking her head with a smile as she fell into step beside Olivia toward the elevators. "What?" Olivia asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing," Melinda chuckled. "I just don't know if I'll ever get used to seeing _Lieutenant Benson_ in action."

##

Bursting with love, Olivia stood on the edge of the playground, watching Noah interact with his peers at daycare as she waited patiently for him to realize she was there.

She had arrived to pick him up early – a rare treat for both of them, since, because of her unpredictable schedule it was usually Ed or Lucy that was afforded this luxury.

But today was different. Special.

It was the day of her final fitting. One more sign that this was really happening; in a little over a week, her life and Noah's would undergo yet another transformation. Even if the actual wedding ceremony was just a formality at this point – they already were a family, after all – their wedding day would also be the day that Ed became Noah's father, officially.

 _Legally_.

Clearing her throat to ward off the tears she could feel threatening, she dabbed at her lashes with her knuckle, willing herself not to cry. It was hard not to, though. Especially after the emotional rollercoaster she'd been on with Ed the past few days with Baby Girl Doe.

 _Abby._

It wasn't all that long ago that Noah was where she was, on the verge of becoming a victim of the system… And now, she thought, watching him giggle as he played with his friends, he was thriving.

He was her son.

In a little over a week, Ed would be his father—the only father he'd ever really know or need. It was surreal, the weight she felt being lifted off her shoulders as her brain processed that.

In a little over a week, she will have succeeded in accomplishing one of the bigger goals she'd set when she became his mother, one that before Ed, she wasn't sure would be attainable—to give Noah everything she never had when she was growing up.

"Mommy!" Olivia grinned when Noah noticed her, crouching down and opening her arms wide to receive him as he propelled himself across the playground and into her arms.

"Hi, my sweet boy," she cooed, burying her face in his hair and breathing him in.

After a moment of indulging his mother's apparent need to cuddle, Noah pulled back, keeping his small hands on her shoulders for stability as he looked at her. "You early," he observed.

"Well," she smiled, booping his nose with a finger while her other hand wrapped around his small waist, "I wanted to spend the afternoon with my favorite guy."

Noah squirmed in excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet in her embrace. "We get ice cream?" he asked her hopefully.

Olivia laughed, pulling herself into a standing position and lifting him to her hip. "We'll get ice cream," she nodded.

" _Yes_!" He pumped his fist in the air. Olivia smiled as he conspicuously waved goodbye to his teachers and peers as she carried him out to the street in her arms.

"But first," Olivia nuzzled his neck, "I was hoping you'd come with me on a super important errand." She pulled back, and looked at him with a small, determined smile. It was amazing to her that, even at only three years old, he seemed to understand the significance of moments like this, even if he didn't fully comprehend the full breadth of what was going on. "What d'you say, baby?"

Noah smiled, nodding as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her neck and rested his head against hers. " _Let's go_."

##

"Olivia, hi," Reese greeted her with a smile as she and Noah walked into the bridal shop. The sales girl crouched down to greet the young boy, who was fidgeting on his feet as he debated whether or not to hide behind his mother's leg. "And who's this handsome guy?"

"Can you say hi to Reese, baby?" Olivia asked, squeezing Noah's hand in hers. "This is my son, Noah."

"Hi, Noah."

Both women smiled as Noah waved and said in a small voice, "Hi."

"He's adorable," Reese cooed, standing to face Olivia again. "So, follow me," she beckoned as they made their way deeper in the shop. "We've got your dress already hanging up in the fitting room." As they made their way toward the back, Reese looked over her shoulder at Olivia, "Do you want me to keep him occupied out here while you change?" She pulled out a plastic storage bin from a nearby office as Olivia made her way toward her fitting room. "I know we've got some toys around here..."

"That'd be great, actually."

Behind the curtain, Olivia smiled as she removed first her blouse and then her dress pants, listening to Noah play with Reese. She took a deep breath, letting her fingers manipulate the delicate fabric of the dress that hung beside the mirror.

 _Her wedding dress._

It was just as perfect as she remembered it.

When she stepped out of the fitting room a few moments later clutching the top of her gown to her chest, the back hanging open beneath her shoulder blades, Noah was oblivious to her as she made her way toward the 180-degree mirrors. He sat on a lounge chair, making explosion noises with his mouth as he made two cars crash into each other in mid-air.

It was only when Olivia turned around to get a better view of the back of the dress as Reese finished zipping it up that he noticed she wasn't wearing the same thing she'd been in earlier.

"Wow," he whispered, his eyes glued to her as she craned her neck away from him to look over her shoulder.

Hearing his soft voice, Olivia faced him. "Do you like it, sweet Noah?"

"Mommy, you pretty," Noah nodded.

"Thank you, baby," she beamed.

Slowly, he made his way toward her and when he got close enough, his arm outstretched to trace the lines of subtle beading that adorned the dress, marking the transition between the bodice and the top part of the skirt.

"Be careful," Olivia cautioned, smiling as he took it all in. "This is mommy's wedding dress," she explained, letting her fingers affectionately comb through his soft brown hair.

"Pretty," Noah repeated.

"She is pretty, isn't she?" Reese indulged the young boy with a wink, watching with a smile as he lowered himself onto the platform at Olivia's feet, sitting Indian-style and watching quietly as Reese and another sales clerk circled the bride-to-be, making sure the dress fit her curves perfectly. Meeting Olivia's eyes in the mirror and smiling, Reese asked, "Have you decided yet how you're wearing your hair?"

"I think I'm going to do something like a chignon," Olivia nodded, reaching to pull her loose tendrils away from her face to illustrate. "Kind of off to the side," she gestured at the back of her head, "with a few lose strands in the front."

"Oh, that'll be gorgeous," Reese nodded appreciatively. "This dress is just perfect," she said, tugging at the material and smoothing here and there as she regarded Olivia. "Does the fit feel good to you? Anything feel snug, or a little too loose maybe?"

Olivia eyed herself in the mirrors, running her hands across the silken fabric that covered her torso before reaching her upper thighs. Even now, with minimal makeup and her hair a mess compared to what it would be on the day-of, she felt beautiful. Ed, she felt sure, would be knocked off his feet. It was perfect, and she said as much.

"Excellent," Reese clapped her hands excitedly. "I'll help you get out of it, and then," she smiled down at Noah, ruffling his hair, "it's _your_ turn, little man!"

Dubiously, Noah looked from Reese to Olivia before shaking his head carefully.

"No dress for Noah."

##

"What flavor do you want, sweetie?" Olivia asked him, palming the back of his head as they waited in line at the ice cream shop around the corner from their apartment.

Noah pondered for a moment, his forehead pressed against the cool glass of the display case as if he could read the labels affixed to the tubs of ice cream that lay within.

" _Ummmmm…_ "

"Do you want vanilla?" she prodded gently. "Or, chocolate?" She smiled as Noah slid his forehead along the length of the case, biting his tongue in concentration. "How about cookie dough? You like that."

"I want choc-lit," he finally decided, looking up at his mom with a sheepish smile.

"Chocolate it is."

She ordered two scoops so they could share and after retrieving spoons, she led them to a small table by the window so they could people-watch while they ate.

"Did you have fun today, baby?"

There had been a point to this outing—beyond trying on her dress one last time, beyond making sure his little suit fit; even beyond just getting to spend this much needed one-on-one time with him. She knew the love between her son and Ed had grown and blossomed right alongside the love that _she_ felt for the gray-haired Captain, but… Noah's happiness was everything to her and she wanted to make sure, one last time before the big day, that Noah was okay with this union; that it was as much what _he_ wanted as it was what she wanted.

The problem was she had no idea how to have this conversation with a three year old.

"Mhmm." Olivia smiled as he nodded around a spoonful of ice cream; some of the sweet treat seeping out of his mouth to line his lips in chocolate. Somehow, she noticed, he'd managed to get ice cream all over his hands and the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt, too. She'd need to hose him down when they got home later.

"You know, mommy and daddy are getting married soon," she started, eyeing him from across the table. "Are you excited?"

"Daddy be my daddy forever," Noah said, beaming.

"That's right, and you're gonna be the most handsome best man." Olivia rested her hand on his cheek.

Only a little while ago, after some gentle coaxing, Noah had stood on the platform at the bridal shop, uncertainly looking at three different reflections of himself in the 180-degree mirror. Around him, Olivia fussed over his jacket and tie, teary-eyed with pride, making sure the hem of his dress pants didn't drag along the floor as he walked.

When he'd eyed her with the most contempt a three-year-old could muster, the look intensifying when she and Reese couldn't stifle their responding chuckles, she'd crouched down beside him and reminded him that his suit perfectly matched his daddy's. And then, as if by a miracle, she watched his look change from one of derision to one of esteem.

"The _best_ man," he declared, nodding vigorously.

"You are." They ate their ice cream quietly for a few minutes, Olivia letting him finish off the treat before she wiped at his face and hands with napkins.

Perhaps the fact that Noah was as enamored with Ed as he was—and as proud of being the best man as he was—should be assurance enough that marrying Ed really was the right thing, for both of them. But she had to make sure; they had started this journey together, after all.

With Noah no longer wearing the evidence of their afternoon on his face & their trash thrown away, Olivia sat back down at the table and pulled her son into her lap. She pressed her lips to his forehead in a lingering kiss, smoothing his hair to the side when she pulled away.

"Sweet boy," she whispered, sighing in content as he curled his body against her chest, resting his head on her shoulder as he watched people floating up and down the sidewalk through the window. "I know you probably don't understand a lot of what's happening right now and what it all means," she murmured softly, "but I want you to know, no matter what, I am _always_ your mommy first."

##

"He made you work for it tonight," Ed commented wryly, turning back to look at her over the black frames of his glasses as she made her way back into the living room.

With an exaggerated and overdramatic sigh, Olivia plopped next to him on the couch where he was leaned over, elbows on his thighs, scrolling through something on his iPad. When she shifted her weight into him, resting her head on his shoulder, he wrapped an arm behind her and lovingly rubbed her back.

"I think the second and third stories made _me_ more tired than they did him," she chuckled, stifling a yawn into the back of her hand.

"Kid's got you wrapped around his little finger," he teased dryly.

Olivia scoffed, half-heartedly smacking his thigh. "Like you can talk."

Smiling, Ed let his fingers play along the bare skin on the back of her neck. He felt her melt even further into his side as she reveled in his ministrations, and he turned from his iPad to press a kiss into her hair. "Last weekend before the big day," he observed. "Anything in particular you wanna do?"

Olivia was silent for a moment as she considered his words, but ultimately, her exhaustion won out. "I feel like I haven't stopped moving since we got back from Paris," Olivia started, adjusting her head so she could see his face and letting her free hand rest on his thigh. "Between cases—yours and mine," she added, "and the last few loose ends for next week…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "The only thing I really want to do is… _nothing_." She leaned up and caught his chin with her lips. "With you and Noah."

"I think we can handle that," Ed rasped, craning his neck down to properly kiss her. His lips separated from hers with a smack and he rested his head against hers, threading his fingers through her hair and gently massaging her scalp.

With a soft moan, Olivia let her head drop slightly, giving greater access to Ed's magic hands. "If you do that much longer, I'm going to fall asleep," she joked breathily. Slowly, he worked her scalp, pulling away until a few loose strands of her hair wrapped around his fingers. She blearily opened her eyes, releasing a contented sigh as she leaned deeper into his side. When she felt his lips press against her forehead in a quick kiss, her eyes noticed the iPad for the first time. "What're you lookin' at?" she asked curiously.

Ed shrugged the shoulder that her head wasn't resting against, running his hand soothingly up and down her back. "Figured we had to start looking at new places eventually," he said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

Finding a new place to accommodate their eventually growing family was something they'd talked about and were on the same page for, but in the hoopla with everything else going on, she realized she'd completely forgotten about it. "Anything good?" she asked.

"A few things," Ed nodded. He adjusted the screen in his lap so she could more easily look with him. "Draper's sister is an agent," he mentioned. "I thought maybe she could take us around, but if you don't wanna get into this yet—"

"No, it's okay," she interrupted to reassure him, squeezing his thigh. Inwardly, she smiled, simultaneously touched and amused that now, even a week before their wedding he still felt the need to make sure she was ready for new developments in their relationship. "The looking is the fun part."

 _Or_ , she thought, _it was supposed to be_.

The last time she'd been apartment hunting, it had been with Brian and the circumstances were admittedly less thrilling than they were now. Then, it wasn't approached as a next-step in their relationship, as if things had been so good between them they were both ready to live together. Rather, her hand had been forced, and while she didn't regret making that move with Brian necessarily, she did question whether they would've arrived at that point were it not for her attack.

As Ed clicked to the next page of results, muttering somewhat to himself and somewhat to her about the pros and cons of leaving the city, Olivia let her mind—and her eyes—wander along the walls and shelves of artifacts that surrounded them. Some things had been there since the day she and Brian moved in, maybe even had been fixtures of the previous place she'd called home… But others like Noah's toy chest, photos of him and Tucker and the three of them that had lined the walls, those had obviously come later, and made what was initially just an apartment become a home.

This place had started off as just barely big enough for her and Brian. She'd had to do some remodeling as her family expanded, and now, as her and Ed stood on the precipice of their lives together, she knew that the natural next step for them was to find a bigger, better place all their own.

A place that was wholly _theirs_ , one in which they could raise their family.

She'd been silent for a while an Ed nudged her with his shoulder, eyeing her over the rim of his glasses when she turned to meet his gaze. "Hey," he prompted, searching her eyes. "Y'alright?"

"Yeah," she croaked. She felt the sting of her emotions burning the back of her throat for the second time today and squeezed his thigh again, this time as much to anchor herself as it was to reassure him. A soft, teary smile stretched her lips and she shrugged, "Just sometimes can't believe we got here, that's all."

Rather than respond, Ed had merely kissed her, and together, they'd made a list of places they wanted to see. Some were in the city, others just outside. Their selections catered to different ends of their budget, to their slightly different styles and preferences, some even to the ability to put their own stamp on things right off the bat and make it their own.

Eventually, the further down on the list of "matches" they got, the further away from the search parameters they were. Heaving a tired but contented sigh, Ed locked the iPad screen, tossing the device onto the coffee table, haphazardly tossing his glasses next to it, and sinking deeper into the couch with Olivia at his side.

"Wanna see if there's a movie on?" He asked.

"Whatever you want," she shrugged. Sitting up, she looked over her shoulder at him, shivering as he let his hand lightly run down her spine through her shirt. "I'm gonna pour myself some wine. You want any?"

"Sure," he shrugged. Olivia stood and turned for the kitchen, stopping short when Ed's hand gripped hers. She raised an eyebrow at him curiously. "I love you." He kissed the back of her hand before releasing it with a smirk.

"I would've gotten you the wine regardless," she teased him, winking as she walked away.

Ed scrolled through the channels almost robotically. Like his fiancée, his mind was reeling from the whirlwind that had taken place since their return from Paris, from the whirlwind that had yet to occur. But even with all the craziness of life and its inevitable twists and turns, he felt a calming sense of stability knowing that no matter what happened in their future, he'd be weathering it… _with her._

"You okay?" Olivia eyed him carefully as she sat down, noticing that his striking blue eyes were shining as she handed him his glass.

"Yeah," he murmured. "Just thinkin'."

She smiled gently as she settled into the couch next to him, her knee pressing into the side of his leg while she faced him. "Care to share?"

Distractedly thumbing the material of the yoga pants that clothed her legs, he shook his head, a smirk just barely curling his lips, "Nothin' you don't already know."

"Because _that's_ not evasive," she said sardonically with a good-natured roll of her eyes. She smiled, eyeing him over the rim of her glass as she took a sip.

"We're lucky, ya know," he said gruffly, letting his hand rest warmly on her leg as his eyes lifted to meet hers.

"Yeah," she agreed, affected. "We are."

Their eyes locked as if a magnetic force was between them, and Olivia reached her free hand up to the side of his head, letting her thumb caress the skin of his ear. At the first inclination of her leaning toward him, the first flick of her eyes down to his lips, he moved to meet her, his right hand sliding smoothly up her thigh until he was gripping her hip. Ed felt the smile on her lips as they met his, and he pulled back only slightly before leaning in for a deeper kiss. Her heart beating somewhat erratically in her chest, Olivia nibbled on his bottom lip as she pulled away, savoring the lingering taste of the wine on his tongue.

One more kiss and Olivia slackened her grip on his head, letting her left hand traverse the length of his arm until their fingers were laced together and resting on the top of her thigh.

The glow of the TV bounced off his features, some long forgotten sitcom playing softly in the background, and Olivia watched him silently but lovingly as they sipped their wine, each unwinding and letting the stress of the day gradually melt off them. "How was Abby today?" she asked. It wasn't even a question in her mind that Ed had gone to see her.

"Good," he told her. "A little fussy. I brought her a coupla toys," he admitted, smiling almost sheepishly as he studied their joined hands.

Olivia chuckled. "I'm sure she appreciated that." She paused a beat, and then seeing that the subject of Abby was weighing on him, she asked, "Did you see Donna?"

Sighing, Ed nodded slowly. "Just for a minute. She said they were makin' progress but couldn't give me any specifics," he rasped.

"Well," Olivia shrugged, trying to reassure him. "Progress is something." At his nod, she continued, her tone compassionate. "They'll figure it out…"

She could practically see the wheels turning in his head and she knew that while he wouldn't refute it, he was less hopeful about the outcome of the search for living relatives. The worry he felt for this baby ran deep in him.

"What if…" He trailed off.

"What?" Olivia prodded.

He squeezed her hand. "What if…she doesn't have anyone?"

Olivia didn't need to hear the actual words to understand what he was asking, and biding time, she leaned away from him, hands still firmly intertwined, to set her wine on the coffee table. Watching him with Abby at DCS the other day made her heart physically clench—not only because she was watching the love of her life with a baby, but also because she could see, plain as day, how deeply this infant's hooks had sunk into Ed already.

But…the reality of the situation was, there were still so many questions left to answer.

"Ed…" she squeezed his hand firmly in both of hers until he met her eyes. "Let's just let this play out, okay? It's gonna take time…"

"Yeah," Ed swallowed thickly. When he caught her looking at him skeptically, he gave her a half-smile and a nod. "You're right," he said, his voice stronger as he brought her hand to his lips.

Taking his wine glass and setting it on the coffee table next to hers, she opened her arms to him. "C'mere," she beckoned, holding him firmly against her body.

There had been so many points during her saga in adopting Noah that Olivia was sure the rug was about to be yanked out from under her—and that was even after DCS had exhausted efforts to find living relatives or Noah's birth father. She'd spent so much of that year bracing herself for what would have been crushing disappointment if, after she'd fallen hopelessly in love with this little boy, for one reason or another, she wouldn't have been allowed to adopt him.

Ed, she could see, was already in love. A matter of days, and he was wrapped so tightly around this little girl's finger; it warmed her heart endlessly to see. But as ready as Olivia was to expand their family, they didn't have Abby's whole story. And more than anything, she didn't want him to be disappointed.

She turned her face toward his, smooth lips and warm breath grazing his ear as she whispered softly. "Until we know how this is gonna go, and even after," she promised, "we'll just be there for her in all the ways we can..."

He buried his face in her neck, his lips pressing light kisses along the column of sensitive skin, causing goose bumps to rise wherever his mouth had been. When he spoke, his words were muffled, but she felt his _I love you_ as if the words had landed directly on her heart.

##

Late

 **A/N: Review?**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Yes, hello… it's me. I told you I hadn't forgotten about this little story over here. I'm slower than molasses in frickin' Antarctica, but I DO update—eventually. ;)**

 **So, we'll pick up with Abby graduating high school…**

 **I kid. She is still a wee baby. ;)**

 **I hope this is worth the wait.**

##

Ed took a seat in the gallery just as Judge Linden announced the hearing in session.

He'd been to visit Abigail as often as he could since the day at the brownstone, sometimes going with Olivia, sometimes without, and after the last visit, he'd given his cell number to Donna, asking her to please call him if there were any updates to the case that she could share with him as the search for Abigail's family progressed.

Today, that call had finally come. There was to be a hearing in family court. He'd been able to rearrange his schedule to attend, but Olivia wasn't so fortunate, unable to get out of a meeting with Dodds.

Settling into his seat in the gallery, Ed wasn't surprised at all to find he was the only one there, but it made his heart ache to see with his own eyes how few people other than himself and Liv truly cared about the well-being of this little girl.

"Good afternoon." Judge Linden was stoic as she looked out at the nearly empty courtroom. "We're here for a status check on Abigail Brooks, FKA Baby Girl Doe. It's my understanding she has been in DCS custody for nearly two weeks. Is that correct?"

"That is correct, your honor," Donna affirmed from her seat at the table to Ed's left.

Judge Linden nodded, clasping her hands together. "And has there been any progress made to locate a living relative who is both willing and able to care for the infant?"

Ed watched as Donna stood up to brief the court. "We were able to locate a grandmother, on the maternal side," she reported. "However, she is in an assisted living facility in rural Indiana."

Looking down, Judge Linden nodded somberly. "Is this woman able to provide any clues that may assist in finding another blood relative?"

"She suffers from severe dementia, your honor," Donna shared, shaking her head. "She has no recollection of Abigail's birth mother."

Ed cleared his throat subtly, wringing his hands together and looking down at his lap.

"Very well." After a brief pause, the judge continued. "Does this exhaust the search?"

"No, your honor," Donna shook her head, shuffling papers in her file. "We do have one lead on the paternal side that we're still following up on."

"Alright," the judge sighed, and Ed took a deep, cleansing breath in the gallery, nodding resolutely to himself. It wasn't over. There was still hope. "We'll meet again next week, and hopefully," the judge leveled a somber stare at the court, "we can get this poor girl where she belongs. With family."

"That is our hope, too, your honor."

"Court is adjourned."

At the bang of the gavel, Ed stood, wiping his hands on the thighs of his pants as he slowly made his way to where Donna was gathering her files into her briefcase.

"Glad you could make it, Captain," she smiled at him. "I'm sorry we don't have better news right now."

Ed nodded, "It's somethin'. Hopefully that lead works out," he shrugged. Roughly, he ran a hand down his face, and heaved a deep sigh. "Thanks for the call."

##

"Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man…" The playful lilt of Olivia's voice carried down the hallway as Ed made his way toward the playroom.

After the hearing, he'd stopped by the precinct to see her, but Fin told him she'd gone on a personal errand. At the time, he'd thought it was something to do with the wedding, which was imminent—now only two days away. In retrospect, he should've known better, should've known he'd find her here.

"Bake me a cake as fast as you can…"

Ed smiled, hearing the smile in her voice as she played with Abby, and sure enough, when he stood in the doorway, resting his shoulder against the frame to watch them, he was met with the sight of them staring at each other with matching grins on their faces.

" _Pat_ it, _roll_ it," Olivia took Abby's small fists in her hands, lightly tapping them together before rolling them around each other as the song dictated, "Mark it with a B. Put it in the oven for _Abby_ and me!" Olivia finished singing, laughing when Abby squealed her delight and flashed her a big, toothless smile. "You love Patty Cake, don't you, sweet girl?" Olivia cooed, lifting the infant and bringing her knees up so she could cradle the baby on her thighs.

Stepping further into the room and dropping his jacket along the back of a nearby chair, Ed smiled. "She sure does…"

Olivia turned to look at him, smiling as she pointed him out to Abby, gasping for dramatic effect, which Abby thoroughly enjoyed. "Look who it is," she said excitedly, kissing the baby's cheek.

Ed waved at the baby, chuckling when she swirled her wrist in an almost-wave and blew a spit bubble in lieu of a verbal _hi_. When he got close enough, Olivia extended a hand to him in greeting and he took it, lowering himself to the floor beside her, so close their sides were touching.

"Hey," Olivia sighed contentedly, leaning into him almost immediately. "You're a sight for sore eyes today," she told him.

"Just today?" Ed reared back to look at her, smirking when she huffed out a laugh, glad his joke landed. Olivia shook her head and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He captured her lips in a soft kiss while Abby gurgled unintelligibly and flailed her arms in Olivia's lap. Pulling away, he winked at Olivia before leaning closer to the baby. "You get kisses, too, little one," he promised, attacking her face with little kisses until he felt her tiny hands pushing on his cheeks, pushing him away.

Olivia reached for a nearby toy, one that lit up and made sounds, to keep Abby occupied more or less on her own for a minute. "I went to the courthouse as soon as I got out of my meeting, but you guys were already gone, so I came here instead," she explained, absently rubbing Abby's belly with one hand and squeezing Ed's hand with the other.

She had tried hard to be there with Ed once they'd gotten the call about the hearing, but her squad had been wrapping up their involvement in a custodial kidnapping case that had crossed state lines, and she had to turn over what they had to the Feds.

Her eyes darted between Ed and the baby, the funny faces she was making to entertain Abby a stark contrast to the seriousness of her tone when she addressed Ed. "How'd it go?"

Ed sighed, offering Abby a knuckle to suck on and glancing at Olivia out of the corner of his eye. "Maternal side was a bust," he shared. "But they have one lead on the father's side they're still workin' on. Linden wanted another hearing next week."

Olivia nodded slowly, processing the information. She knew the next hearing would be pivotal—either Abby would be set up to go live with family, or she would enter the system. "Okay, so," she paused. "That's good… There's still a chance of family out there that can take care of her."

"Still a chance," Ed confirmed, though his tone was noticeably less hopeful than hers.

Abby wriggled in Olivia's lap, and sensing that she wanted to be down, Olivia shifted, putting her on the floor and making sure she had toys within reach. The new position allowed Olivia to get a better look at Ed, and she eyed him carefully as he watched Abby play.

"They'll figure this out, Ed."

Ed tore his eyes away from the baby, getting swallowed up in the warm brown of Olivia's gaze. "I know," he nodded. He gave her a small smile to reassure her that he was, in fact, okay. "So," he moved to change the subject. "No more work for you, right?"

Olivia nodded. "No more work until next week."

"You ready to marry me in a couple days?" He reached a hand over to her, palm up, and smiled when she laced their fingers together.

"I am," she smiled, leaning over to kiss him chastely. "The roof, however, is not…" she added, shaking her head. "Heather's going to come by tomorrow after we get the marriage license and we'll finish up."

Ed couldn't hide the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Wouldn't be _us_ if we weren't waiting until the last minute, right?" he quipped.

Olivia shrugged good-naturedly, patting their joined hands. "Better late than never."

The next few days promised to be busy, and intense, so for a little while, Ed and Olivia immersed themselves in this quiet time with Abby. Soon, they would have to leave her there to go home and continue preparations for what would be the biggest day of their lives to-date.

Olivia knew they were taking good care of Abby here, but it was temporary. She felt the ache in her heart for this baby girl much like she did every time she had to leave Noah before he was placed in her care. She hoped, in her heart of hearts, that this precious girl would soon find the family and stability she deserved.

Olivia scooted closer to Ed, leaning her weight lightly into his side as she passed Abby another toy. They both watched as Abby turned it over in her chubby hands a few times and then tried to put it in her mouth before promptly chucking it a few feet away and smiling proudly at Ed when it landed with a loud bang on the floor.

Taking in Abby's sparkling blue eyes and soft wisps of blonde hair, what looked like a couple of new teeth just starting to cut her gums, Olivia released a sigh. "She just gets more beautiful every time I see her."

Ed nodded, nudging Olivia playfully with his shoulder before turning and planting a quick kiss on the top of her head. "Kinda like someone else I know…"

##

"You know, you never told me how house hunting went last weekend…"

Heather was on the ground, feeding the slack of a string of white lights to Olivia who was standing on a step stool, wrapping the strand around an arbor.

"Um, you know, it went okay…" Olivia shared with a smile, looking down and over her shoulder at her friend. "Noah wanted us to buy every place we saw," she chuckled.

"That's what you get for bringing a kid with you to look at houses," Heather smirked knowingly.

Olivia nodded. "There was one place with an actual backyard, and I didn't think we were ever gonna get Noah to want to leave."

"An actual backyard?" Heather stared at Olivia incredulously. "Are you guys thinking about leaving the city?"

Olivia took a deep breath. "It's something we're considering," she said honestly.

"But… you've lived in the city your whole life," Heather reminded her, flabbergasted.

"That's true," Olivia conceded. "But… I don't know. We saw a few places with a little more room than we'd get in the city, and," she shrugged, "it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Y'know, to imagine living out in a suburb somewhere." Olivia paused, looking out at the skyline. She recalled how Noah had worn himself out running circles around she and Ed as they spoke with the realtor in the backyard of a nice suburban house; visions of Ed playing catch and kicking a soccer ball with Noah and his future sibling were easier for her mind to conjure than she ever would have anticipated. "We're gonna be adopting again, soon, and I don't know… it'd be nice for the kids to have space to actually… _be kids_."

"Isn't that what parks are for?"

Olivia laughed. "Maybe." She eyed her friend. "It's just something we're thinking about, Heather. No one has signed anything yet."

"Still," Heather argued. " _Wow_." Her eyebrows lifted in surprise and she cocked her head as she looked at Olivia. "That would be a bitch of a commute, though, no?"

Olivia nodded, reaching blindly into her back pocket for a zip-tie. "That's the only thing holding me back," she said. "I think Ed is in a place where he'd be fine retiring tomorrow and not even having to worry about a commute… but," Olivia shrugged, looking down and meeting Heather's eyes, "I'm not quite there yet."

"Well, selfishly," Heather winked, "I'm glad to hear that. I want you in the city with me."

"It looks like you'll get your wish, at least for now," Olivia chuckled. "We did see a nice place on the upper west side… No yard, but more space."

Heather rolled her eyes, "Please don't become one of _those_ moms…"

"Better than Westchester," Olivia quipped, not missing a beat. She smiled when Heather could only huff in response.

They moved in silence for a few minutes, establishing a rhythm as they affixed white lights to the garland they'd hand-made and decorated with an assortment of silk flowers. The rooftop was adorned in an array of reds, burnt oranges and warm yellows in preparation for the autumn wedding, and Olivia looked proudly across the space that was starting to look less like the roof of an apartment building and increasingly like an esteemed wedding venue.

"This was a good idea," she said to Heather as she surveyed their handiwork. She'd been iffy about the color palate that Heather had suggested for the foliage, but looking at it now, Heather had been right. The deep but warm colors of fall offered a splash of vibrancy that was a perfect addition to the ambiance, and were also perfectly representative of Olivia.

Silently, Heather watched Olivia absorb their surroundings before reaching for her hand and squeezing it affectionately before letting her go. "I'm really proud of you, Liv," she said softly. At her tone, Olivia turned to face her friend, tilting her head to the side curiously. Heather shrugged. "I like to think I know you pretty well…even if we haven't known each other all that long," she explained. "I kinda thought you might…get scared," she gestured at the roof that, with the exception of a few last-minute things they'd finish tomorrow, was just about decorated. "Of all this…"

"You know," Olivia breathed, a warm smile on her lips. "I thought I would, too," she cocked an eyebrow, "It _is_ scary." She stepped down from the stool and slid her hands into her back pockets, "I've never been here before…I mean, I've been engaged before, but not like this _…_ I think a part of me will always be terrified that it's not going to work out." She chuckled when Heather rolled her eyes. "But I know that I don't want to be with anyone else—couldn't even imagine being with anyone else, really." Olivia smiled thoughtfully and met Heather's eyes again.

"Well," Heather said brightly, "that works out, because I'm pretty sure his whole world revolves you and Noah."

"It does," Olivia acknowledged softly, keenly aware of just how pivotal this admission was—not just the acknowledgement, but also the acceptance of it. It was a marked change for the woman who, until Ed, had been so reluctant to allow anyone to get that close to her, to help her, to _really_ love her. Ed was the first person she really gave herself completely to, and he'd accepted all of her with no hesitation—just open arms, an open heart, and the time and space he knew she needed to be ready for everything they had the potential to be.

Both women turned when the door to the roof opened and Olivia beamed when Ed made an appearance in the doorway, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead and biceps bulging under the weight of one of the partitions they were using to further enclose the space they were using for the ceremony.

"Last one," he huffed.

"Thank you for doing that, babe," Olivia smiled.

"Yeah, thanks _babe_ ," Heather parroted cheekily. The childish maneuver signaled the return of Heather's normal demeanor and elicited an almost immediate eye roll from Olivia.

Smirking, Ed stopped in front of them with his hands on his hips. "This a good time for lunch?"

##

Olivia threw her plate away, taking a sip from her bottled water before rounding the wall and cocking her hip against the edge of the counter. A small smile on her face, she rested her elbows on the counter and pulled a piece of paper closer to her, the heading on top reading _State of New York Department of Health: Affidavit, License and Certificate of Marriage_.

"Still time, ya know," Ed offered, clearing his and Heather's plates from the coffee table and meeting Olivia at the counter.

"Time for what?" Olivia stood up straight to face him.

"To run screamin' in the other direction," Ed smirked as he pushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "You're not stuck with me till we sign it."

She moved closer to him, tugging at the material of his t-shirt until they were practically chest to chest, before sliding her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and pulling his body against hers. "I'm not running anywhere," Olivia leaned up, her lips catching his in a chaste kiss, "Screaming or otherwise," she smiled, kissing him again.

"Sure about that?" Ed rested one hand on her upper arm, running the other through her hair before hovering his mouth over hers.

"Pretty sure," she nodded, cocking her eyebrow teasingly. She felt his grip tighten on the back of her head, pulling her face to his, and she smiled into another deeper kiss. The warmth of his tongue teased her lip and she sighed, tilting her head and opening her mouth to invite him in, an invitation he didn't hesitate to accept.

"Oh my god," Heather groaned in mock disgust from her spot on the couch, turning around and seeing them locked in a passionate embrace. "Is your bathroom free, 'cause I think I'm gonna puke…"

"Sorry," Olivia smiled at her as she pulled away, wrapping her arms around Ed's waist and resting her head against his chest.

"No, you're not," Heather rolled her eyes, but Olivia could see the small smile twitching the corners of her lips. "Look, I'm gonna go before I end up with a front row seat to live pay per view—"

"—You mean, again?" Olivia challenged, getting a deep sense of satisfaction and amusement at the bright red blush that enflamed Heather's face.

Heather sidestepped the jibe. "I'm gonna guess, after that little display," she gestured between the two lovers, "that I can't convince you to spend the night apart?"

"I don't think so," Olivia smiled, shaking her head and holding Ed tighter to her.

"O-kay," Heather shrugged dramatically. "But I'll remind you that it's bad luck for the bride and groom to be together the night before the wedding…"

Ed pressed a kiss to the top of Olivia's head, letting his hands run lightly down her spine and absorbing her light responding moan. "I think we've pretty much shot _tradition_ to hell by now," Ed reasoned gruffly.

"That's… probably true," Heather conceded with a chuckle. "Okay, I'm seriously leaving now." She pointed to Olivia, "I'll be here at noon tomorrow to help you start getting ready?"

"Sounds good."

The door clicked shut, and Ed and Olivia found themselves alone in the apartment. Arms securely around his waist, she leaned her head back to look at him, closing her eyes when his lips landed firmly on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Love you, too."

Ed smirked when he felt her hands drift into his back pockets again, her digits firmly squeezing the muscle beneath the denim of his jeans and pulling his hips into hers. He combed is fingers through her soft hair, dropping kisses along her jaw and listening to her breath quicken against his skin when he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Ed," she sighed, burrowing her face in his neck and pressing open-mouthed kisses on his heated skin.

His own breathing quickly becoming labored, he pulled back from her, using the hand in her hair to pull her back slightly as well, and she blinked blearily up into his sharp blue eyes, watching as they moved over her face, the desire in them evident.

"How long do we have before we have to get Noah?"

##

"Oh my god," Olivia breathed, collapsing onto the couch.

She was the picture of exhaustion as she sunk into Ed, eyes closed, one hand tiredly massaging her forehead. He noticed the small smile on her face and smirked knowingly.

"How many?"

"Four," she said incredulously, making him chuckle. " _Four_ stories."

"He was wound up," Ed acknowledged.

"No kidding," Olivia huffed a laugh. "I wouldn't be surprised if he comes walking out here in the next few minutes wanting to watch a movie."

"If he does, maybe we let him." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her body into his and nuzzling her hair. "But I'm kinda hoping he doesn't…" Ed rasped.

Olivia put a hand on his thigh, pulling back from him far enough so she could meet his eyes, his irises already darkening with arousal.

"Oh yeah?" she questioned.

"Big day tomorrow, he needs rest," Ed reasoned, and when Olivia leveled him with a playfully disbelieving stare, he chuckled against her, conceding. "…And you and I started somethin' earlier I really wanna finish…"

Ed leaned down, pressing his lips along the line of Olivia's jaw, smiling at the small sounds she was emitting as he traversed a wet path to her ear and down the side of her neck. He breathed in the subtle notes of her perfume, savored the softness of her skin beneath his lips, the way her body unconsciously arched and melted into him.

They'd started something earlier, all right, but after Heather fled from the apartment, they realized how late it had gotten with getting the roof ready and then lunch, and they didn't have much time before they'd had to get Noah from daycare.

Both still fanning the flames of arousal they'd ignited earlier, they had been teasing each other ever since.

"I don't know, Ed," Olivia sighed, tilting her head back to give him more access to her neck and moving her hand from his thigh to his chest, teasing him with light touches over his t-shirt. "Shouldn't we— _oh_ ," she moaned when he hit a sweet spot on her neck, her breath coming quicker as she continued breathily, "save some of this for tomorrow night?"

He pulled back from her neck, his thumbs rubbing circles over the skin at her hips, just above her leggings, as deepening blue eyes met lust-filled brown. "You say that like it's possible I'll ever get enough of you," he rasped. His lips were on hers before she could even attempt a witty retort, and she brought both hands up to hold is head to hers as the intensity of his kiss increased, his tongue thoroughly exploring her mouth until the need for oxygen demanded that they separate, both panting. "It's not, ya know," he said, resting his forehead against hers.

"I know," Olivia whispered. Her eyes darted between his and she traced the edge of his bottom lip with her thumb as she pulled him closer to her again. "I'll never get enough of you, either."

##

Carefully, Ed lowered the sheet until it rested just above her buttocks, taking a moment to admire the combination of softness and strength of the smooth caramel skin in front of him.

He let two fingers of his right hand lightly graze the column of her spine before his lips followed the same trail, dotting kisses up and down the heated skin of her back until he heard her take a deep breath through her nose, the muscles in her shoulders rippling as she gripped the pillow beneath her head in an understated, sleepy stretch.

Olivia's eyelids fluttered open, noticing the room was still primarily cloaked in darkness, only a small amount of light trying to sneak through the window coverings. "Do I want to know what time it is?" she croaked.

It didn't seem like that long ago that they'd fallen asleep tangled up together after making love, and beneath the heat of his adoring gaze, Olivia could feel a twinge of soreness in her muscles.

Ed huffed out a laugh; fingertips still tracing random patterns along her back, watching goose bumps erupt across her skin, her body coming alive beneath his touch. "Probably not," he whispered wisely.

Olivia groaned, letting her eyes drift shut again. "Why are we awake?"

She felt the bed shift as Ed moved, could feel the heat of his body as he hovered over hers until his breath tickled the hair covering her ear. "'Cause you're beautiful," he replied simply, lowering his lips to her shoulder. "And I woke up thinkin' about how, after today, I get to wake up to you every morning," he kissed her opposite shoulder, smiling when he felt a whimper of pleasure reverberate against his lips, "just like this." She shifted, trying to flip over onto her back, and he lifted himself up to give her room to maneuver, his fingers tracing a line between her breasts, pebbled nipples giving away her arousal, while his eyes locked on hers. "And I couldn't wait to see you," he husked.

Ed watched her blink up at him sleepily, her brown hair tousled across the pillow behind her, lips curving into a slow smile. She reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together before bringing them to her lips for a light kiss and resting them against her bare chest, right over her heart.

"Hi there," she whispered seductively.

Ed smirked, loving the gravelly quality her voice acquired in the early-morning hours. Wordlessly, he lowered his lips to her forehead before moving to her nose and finally, her full lips, slightly chapped from sleep. He lingered there; eyes fixed on hers, and against her mouth, he murmured, "Happy wedding day."

##

 **A/N: Next up: the wedding (for real, this time), but sadly maybe not so much Abby since they've got things going on and it's the weekend. You'll know her fate soon enough, though, I promise.**

 **In the meantime… Review?**


	26. Chapter 26

**To quote Maya Rudolph in Bridesmaids, "It's happening."**

 **Although, hopefully, this isn't a pile of shit.**

 **##**

"From this second forward," Heather announced, thundering into the apartment under the weight of two garment bags and the entirety of her hair and makeup tools, "this apartment is a penis-free environment until after the wedding."

From his spot at the kitchen counter, Ed's eyebrows rose on his forehead, his eyes darting from Heather to the curious gaze Noah was now leveling on him from where he sat playing with his toys on the floor.

"Daddy?"

Ed shot Heather an exasperated look and she smirked as she made her way back toward the bedroom. "Not even sorry," she said lightly. "Liv back there?"

"Yeah," Ed nodded, then turned his attention back to Noah. "Alright, kiddo. That's our cue. You got your bag over there?"

The boys were being banished to get ready at Heather and Ben's apartment, and since, being men, the process of getting ready was significantly shorter than what Heather was undoubtedly going to put Olivia through, they'd made sure to pack plenty of toys to keep Noah occupied until it was time to get ready.

"Wait!"

Ed turned to see Olivia, wrapped in her plush robe, rushing out of the bedroom.

"We weren't gonna leave without saying goodbye," he teased her with a chuckle, rubbing her shoulders as he followed her over to Noah.

"I know," she said, covering one of his hands with hers in acknowledgement. "But I still want kisses. C'mere, sweet boy." Noah immediately stepped into his mother's embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around her as she buried her face into his hair. "I love you so much, baby."

"Love you, mommy."

Releasing him, Olivia ran her fingers through his hair. "Be good for Daddy, okay? I'll see you in a little while." Olivia turned to Ed. "And you," she kissed him, the lip lock venturing slightly beyond chaste, into passionate. "I can't wait to marry you."

"Likewise," Ed whispered, licking his lips as they separated. An impatient throat clearing from the doorway leading to their bedroom made them separate further and Ed rolled his eyes playfully at his bride-to-be. "C'mon, bud," he said, reaching for Noah as he made his way toward the door. "We can tell when we're not wanted, can't we…"

"I love you," Olivia said earnestly. "Both of you."

Ed grabbed his own garment bag from where it hung by the door and winked, and when the door shut behind them, Olivia took a deep breath and turned back to face her friend.

Heather drummed her fingertips together and smiled brightly, wiggling her eyebrows in a way that scared Olivia just a little bit.

"Come," Heather beckoned. "Let's do this, shall we?"

##

"You got a dog in this fight?"

Ed had settled into the corner of the couch in Ben and Heather's living room, one eye drifting to keep an eye on the boys playing in the corner of the room.

"Nah," Ben called from the adjoining kitchen. He held out a bottle of Stella in offer to Ed, who shrugged in agreement, and Ben made his way into the living room to join him on the couch, nodding when Ed muttered his thanks. "My brother's a Seminole…" he added in explanation.

"Sorry to hear that," Ed quipped, his lips curling in a smirk around the mouth of the bottle as he took a long pull.

"Not more than I am," Ben said dryly.

For a few downs, they engaged in quiet conversation about the game, pausing every so often to grumble about the incompetence of the officiating crew, before an injury timeout forced the game into a commercial break.

"So," Ben broached, sipping his beer. "Nervous?"

"Nah," Ed thumbed the label on the bottle and shook his head before glancing back at Ben. "This is right, ya know?" Ben hummed in agreement. "Once we got past all the craziness in the beginning, it was like…" Ed looked up, searching for the words, "I dunno, like we shoulda been doin' this the whole time."

"Why weren't you?"

The chuckle escaped Ed before he could stop it. _If he only knew…_ "Ah, job stuff. Life stuff. We were in different places… Liv and I have talked about this extensively," Ed added, looking pointedly at Ben, who chuckled.

"Well," Ben lifted his glass, causing Ed to do the same, "I guess, here's to everything happening when it was supposed to… Congratulations, man."

The men tapped their bottles together, chuckling when Noah and Jackson copied their gesture with toys in-hand in the corner.

"So, we have to be back there at…?"

"Liv said four."

"Right," Ben nodded, glancing at the clock. It was just past one o'clock. His eyes drifted to the boys, watching them play enthusiastically with Hot Wheels on Jackson's racetrack play mat. "Think we should get dressed first, then get them, or the other way around?" he wondered aloud.

Ed watched the boys maneuver the toy cars into what he could only imagine was meant to be a fiery collision, spittle flying everywhere from their exaggerated sound effects as they dissolved into a friendly wrestling match to see who's car would overpower. "Probably us, then them," Ed ventured lightly. "Carefully."

"Right," Ben nodded. He glanced at the clock again. "But…not for a while?" he added hopefully. Ed chuckled, not wanting to sit around in a suit any longer than he had to, either.

"Not for a while," he confirmed.

##

Awestruck, Olivia warily eyed the multitude of makeup products Heather had spread across the surface of her vanity. Heather stood up, turning from where she had been organizing and stood in front of the brunette, who was perched on a stool from the kitchen.

"Okay," Heather started, her tone no longer teasing and playful, but all business. "How are we doing this?"

"Natural," Olivia said without hesitation, glancing at her reflection around Heather's shoulder. "I want him to be able to recognize me coming down the aisle," she chuckled.

"Got it," Heather nodded perfunctorily, reaching up to twirl a lose strand of hair that hung at Olivia's face. "Hair?"

Meeting her friend's eyes, Olivia gathered the rest of her hair behind her head, "That chignon I showed you? Can you do that?"

Heather turned, plugging in her hairdryer and grabbing a brush. "Of course," she said. Flipping the appliance on, she spoke loudly over the noise, "Hair first. Let me know if I burn you…"

Soon, despite being keyed up from the anticipation, Olivia felt herself falling under the spell of the rhythmic whirring noise and gentle tugging, her eyes closing as Heather worked diligently on her hair.

"You doing okay?" Heather asked her after an extended silence. Her question was muffled by a row of bobby pins she was holding between her teeth and Olivia smiled.

"I'm good," she said. In a matter of hours, she would be walking down the aisle toward the kind of happy ending she'd given up hope of ever finding before finding the courage to open herself up to Ed like she'd never opened up to anyone before.

She wasn't just good. She was perfect.

Heather nodded, smiling as she continued to work on Olivia's hair. "Finish your vows?"

"I did."

Heather raised her eyebrows expectantly, as if waiting for Olivia to run through what she'd put together, but her friend was quiet, stoic. "I'm all ears if you want to practice…"

"No need," Olivia shook her head subtly. She tapped a forefinger on her temple. "It's all here."

Heather raised her eyebrows again. "You're brave," she acknowledged, before continuing with a soft smile. "When Ben and I got married, it was all I could do to remember my own name by the time it was my turn to say my vows."

"Really?" Heather had a tendency to be kind of shallow, so this surprised Olivia; she would've expected that Ben would have been the one to get more emotional during their ceremony.

"Mhmm," Heather nodded. "I think…" she furrowed her brow, putting in one more bobby pin before looking at Olivia in the mirror. "We're done," she announced. "What d'you think?"

Olivia turned her head left, then right. "It's beautiful." She met Heather's eyes in the mirror, silently thankful that makeup was happening last, because she could already feel the sting of emotion in her eyes. "Thank you."

…

Between hair and makeup, they'd taken a small break to remove their dresses from the garment bags and Olivia watched from the edge of her bed, a glass of Prosecco hanging comfortably from her hand as Heather and Amanda meticulously guided a steamer over the delicate material of her gown.

"You're awfully quiet over there," Amanda observed, eyeing her Lieutenant before taking sip of her own beverage. She'd come over early to help get her ready, and despite previous strain in their relationship, Olivia was incredibly thankful to have her Sergeant's support and companionship on such an important day. She respected the younger woman—all the things that made them similar, and the things that made them so incredibly different.

Olivia smiled, swallowing another sip of the bubbly liquid and suppressing a hiccup with a hand to her chest before she replied. "I'm just," she shrugged, "taking it all in."

"No cold feet, right?"

"No," she shook her head vehemently. "My feet are just fine," she added with a wink and a barely visible curl to her lips.

"It's kinda surreal though, isn't it? You marrying Tucker," Amanda said with a smile, gingerly lowering herself onto the bed and leaning back against the headboard, careful not to disturb her own hair and makeup. "Who woulda thought…?" she added, bewildered.

"I'm just glad they got their heads out of their asses…" Heather interjected, shrugging her shoulders as Olivia eyed her incredulously. "What?" she asked, her face expressionless.

"Way to be supportive…" Olivia chuckled.

"I'm here, I'm supportive," Heather defended. "But my God, Liv… you were so dead set on being in your own way in the beginning… I thought for sure the poor guy was gonna give up on you."

"Ed's never given up on me," Olivia said softly, a smile seeming to grace her lips without her knowing, conjured by the mere thought of her fiancé.

"He won't," Amanda chimed in. "The way he looks at you…"

Olivia blushed; shyly shifting her eyes to her dress to deflect the comment she knew was true. Her gaze floated over the details, her mind lost in thought as Heather and Amanda fell into an easy, playful conversation around her.

The strangest thing, she pondered distantly, was that her mind drifted not to Ed, not to the guests gathering on the roof, not to doing one more internal run-through of her vows to make sure she wasn't leaving anything out…

Instead, as she sipped the Italian wine, she imagined someday, years into the future, sitting in a room like this with a young woman, carefully steaming the very same dress she was about to put on, fussing over hair and makeup, and then standing with Ed to give her away.

And once her mind went there, she found it wasn't a far leap at all to think about a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby, likely sitting in a crib at DCS downtown.

A baby that had her and her soon-to-be-husband wrapped securely around her little finger.

##

Listening to the dull chatter of the arriving guests behind him, Ed stood at the railing just behind their makeshift altar, dressed in his charcoal grey suit, watching the sun begin its descent behind thin wisps of clouds hued in pinks and oranges to their west.

It was finally here, and the day couldn't have been more beautiful if it tried.

In a matter of minutes, Olivia would step off the elevator into the rooftop atrium in a dress he had yet to see. She would walk down a rose-petal lined aisle to stand with him before those that were closest to them, and promise to spend forever…

John Munch, whom he and Olivia had asked to officiate the ceremony, stood nearby, chatting idly with members of his former squad before Heather signaled the bride's arrival and the festivities began.

Ed took a deep breath, tuning out the conversations swirling around him. He flattened his hands down the side of his blazer, his exhale turning into a gasp as he realized the protrusion he was expecting to feel—the ring box—wasn't there.

His movements became frantic as he patted himself down, searching his pockets repeatedly—first his jacket, then his pants—for the box that contained both his and Olivia's wedding bands. He ran through the events of the day in his head, trying to remember the exact moment he'd last had his hands, or his eyes, on the velvet box.

Several long panic-stricken seconds passed before realization dawned and Ed's whole body visibly deflated in relief. He'd given the rings to Noah when he'd dropped him off with Heather at the apartment, so he could fulfill his "best man" duties of holding onto the rings before the ceremony.

He leaned against his forearms on the railing, dropping his head between his shoulders, before he felt a hand on his upper back. Turning his head to the side, Munch's face greeted him with a sardonic smile, dark friendly eyes peering at him over the frames of his glasses.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll show up," John assured him, seeming to misunderstand the source of Ed's unease. "Though, I might've insisted that Noah stay with me, if I was you," he winked at Ed. "Insurance…"

Ed smirked, pushing off the railing and turning to face their guests and the aisle that marked the course that Olivia would soon be taking toward him. He heard the door to the atrium open and his heart skipped a beat before realizing it was just Heather.

"Won't be long now…" John echoed his thoughts from half a step behind him. Then, softer, "I know we like to bust your balls, Tucker, but in case I haven't said it yet, congratulations. You got yourself a good one."

"Don't ask me how…" Ed breathed.

A beat of silence passed before Ed heard John's voice in his ear again.

"Well, who knows what _she's_ thinking...but you? You got yourself a good one for sure."

##

Riding the elevator up to the roof, rather than nerves or cold feet, Olivia felt an overwhelming sense of peace; one she felt sure had everything to do with the man waiting for her at the altar and the tiny hand she held firmly in her own.

When they had first starting thinking about the wedding logistics, entertaining the idea of having John officiate the ceremony for them, Ed had suggested the idea of having her former Captain give her away.

" _I know he was like a father to you," Ed had said._

It was true; Don Cragen had been a constant in her life for so many years—important years, too, and she certainly felt affection for him that was similar, she thought, to what a daughter would feel for a father figure.

The more she thought about it, though, the more it felt like this was something that she wanted— _needed_ —to do for herself, and for Noah. She knew Don loved her like a daughter, but the reality was that however connected she felt to him, she wasn't his to give away…

Symbolically, she wanted to do this with Noah: she and her son, a package deal, heading toward Ed, the next chapter of their lives as a family…together.

##

Somehow, Ed picked the exact perfect time to look up from his shoes, his eyes finding hers across the roof with a precision that astounded even him. And then, immediately after the recognition came the sensation that he'd had the wind knocked out of him.

She was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

For her part, Olivia was impressed that sensations like this actually happened, and weren't just something romanticized in the movies. Stepping out of the atrium and onto the roof, her eyes met Ed's and it was immediate, the way everyone and everything faded away into the background. She was only aware of him and her on the roof—the two of them, and Noah, who was tugging insistently at her hand.

"Mommy," Noah whispered loudly, looking from his mom to Ed, then back again. "We go to Daddy?" His small voice was unsure; they hadn't done a thorough rehearsal, and the poor boy had little understanding of what was going on other than Mommy and Daddy were getting married.

The fact his parents were capable of doing little more than staring at each other only furthered his uncertainty.

"Yeah," Olivia whispered brokenly, belatedly reacting to his confusion. She squeezed his hand but didn't look at him, unable to tear her eyes from the man waiting for them at the end of the aisle. "We go to Daddy," she confirmed.

Noah stared at her impatiently, clearly not understanding the depth of the moment his parents were sharing. "Then… _we go_ ," he prodded, pulling at her hand again. "He _waiting_."

His insistence forced a chuckle from her throat, breaking her trance, and she looked down at her son, who was practically squirming in his effort to get her to move.

"It's okay, sweet boy," she soothed, squeezing his hand and bringing her eyes back up to meet Ed's, gasping at the love she saw emanating from the blue irises at the other end of the aisle.

The beginning of their relationship had felt a lot like _one step forward, two steps back_ as Olivia worked to not only open herself up to the prospect of being in a long-term serious relationship, but also to pursue that venture with someone who had been an enemy for so many years.

She had felt the same spark that he had that first night of drinks, but she had a much harder time reconciling what that spark meant. The whole time, Ed was patient with her—he was there when she allowed him to be and respectful of the space she needed. He made it clear what he wanted, but he didn't pressure her; he let her get there in her own time. She was so grateful, sure that had he not been that patient with her, they may not be here today, ready to make it official and start the rest of their lives _together_.

She could feel tears pool in her eyes and silently thanked Heather for thinking ahead and using waterproof mascara and eyeliner.

Her next words were directed toward Noah, but echoed a sentiment that she herself had learned from experience where Ed was concerned.

"We don't have to rush. Daddy's not going anywhere."

Then, she took a deep, steadying breath and nodded resolutely to Heather, who started the music for her do walk down the aisle.

A hush overcame the guests, who stood and turned to face her.

Unfazed by the dozen or so sets of eyes that were now on her, she looked down at Noah and squeezed his hand. "Ready, sweet boy?" At his determined nod, she chuckled. "Me, too," she said tearfully.

Finally.

##

For a second, he thought he was going to pass out before she made it down the aisle, but then, he remembered how to breathe, and smiled at her and Noah as they slowly made their way toward him, drawing awed whispers from their closest friends and family along the way.

"You're gorgeous," he whispered to her once she was close enough.

It didn't seem like a strong enough word. But he was hard-pressed to wrack his brain for a better one in his condition.

Her makeup was natural, as she'd insisted, and his eyes didn't seem to want to tear themselves from the way the strapless dress molded to her every curve. He found himself resisting the urge to line the curve of her bare shoulders with kisses, loving the way the dress contrasted with her supple, tan skin. Slowly, he let his eyes take her in completely, the subtle beading and lacework that divided the bodice from the skirt, the delicate way it flared right around her knees, swishing around her ankles where the hem just barely grazed the floor.

It was the kind of understated beautiful that took your breath away because it didn't distract from _her_. It took her best features and somehow, found a way to amplify them.

He'd be lucky if he could string two words together when they started the vows.

"You, too," she winked, taking his right hand in her left.

Ed reached down, taking Noah's hand in his free one, so the three of them were now connected, standing in a circle.

Noah squirmed slightly between them and Olivia smiled down at him before turning her attention to John, who was looking on with pride.

"Shall we?" Clearing his throat, he looked around Ed and Olivia to address the guests. "I think if any of you would've told me a few years ago that I would be marrying Olivia and _Ed Tucker_ ," he held his hands out, "I'd have taken you straight to Bellevue myself," he quipped, drawing a chuckle from the group, including Olivia, who rolled her eyes, and Ed, who laughed bashfully. "And yet," John smirked. "Here we are…"

Olivia smiled warmly at her longtime friend and former squad-mate, sparing a wink at Ed while they waited for John to continue.

"I've known Olivia a long time. Well," John corrected, "I guess I've known them both a long time. But I've always liked her more," he admitted, eyeing Ed. "Sorry."

"I don't blame ya. Me too," Ed quipped.

"In all seriousness," John continued, looking fondly at the Lieutenant, "I worried about this one for a while. Years, even. I'm really glad you found what you were looking for, Olivia."

"Thanks, John," she whispered.

"Alright," the former Sergeant addressed the guests. "Since I'm Jewish, and these two are heathens, we're going to do this a little differently… You have each written your own vows, correct?"

"We have," Olivia nodded, Ed nodding along with her.

"Who wants to start?" He looked between both Ed and Olivia, who whispered _I will_. "The floor is yours…"

"Whew," she blew out a slow breath and looked down at their feet, suddenly nervous. "Okay," she began, squeezing his hand. "I wanted to say, obviously, that I love you—so, so much," she shook her head, her gaze introspective as it landed on him again. "More than there are words to even describe how much," she smiled tearily. "But even more than that, I wanted to say…thank you."

She saw the slightest hint of confusion in his eyes as he cocked his head to the side, hanging on her every word, as if there were no one up on the roof—in the world, even—but the two of them.

"You saw something here," she gestured between them, "before I ever thought to look for it," she smiled, her expression awestruck, almost wistful. "I don't think you know, even now, how grateful I am for that…to think of what we would've missed out on…" She trailed off, and he smiled as she collected herself. "Ed, I've never really believed that there was one perfect person out there for everyone, but if that does exist, there is no doubt in my mind that you are it for me." She reached for his hand again, squeezing it gently, letting her tears fall freely, knowing it was futile at this point to stop them. "You love me the way I need; in a way only you could. And you gave me space to fall in love with you without feeling like I was losing my independence, without making me sacrifice who I am. And that was—" she stopped, amended herself, "— _you are_ the best gift of all. I'm still falling in love with you, a little bit more, every day. I'll never stop."

Olivia took a deep breath, her gaze drifting down from him to her son—their son, she mentally corrected herself, who was looking on with rabid curiosity, swinging both his arms as he stood patiently between the two adults.

"Once this little man came along, I thought it was going to be that much harder to find someone to settle down with; I'd resigned myself to the fact that it was just going to be he and I…But then you came along, and you've been so amazing with him. You're such an amazing father," she said brokenly. "Even in my wildest dreams, I couldn't have imagined being able to give him the kind of home and stability that we've built together, and I can't wait to start all over again and expand our family. I am in this with you…All of it. Forever. No matter what."

Somewhere in the background of this moment, they could both hear the sniffles coming from the guests looking on, and Olivia noticed John pull a handkerchief from his breast pocket, dabbing his eye subtly before tucking it away.

"Ed?" he prodded softly.

"Every day, I wake up and lookit you next to me, and can't wrap my head around how I got this lucky, how I get to be this guy standin' up here with you." He shook his head. "In what universe does it make sense that someone like you would wanna be with someone like me? But, I'll be damned… you do," he smiled.

"Can't say bad words, Daddy," Noah interrupted.

Ed dropped his head and chuckled, letting go of Noah's hand to palm his head. "You're right, bud. I'm sorry."

"Olivia's not the only one who's got him whipped," came a voice from the small crowd gathered in front of them. Laughter broke out, and Ed waited patiently for it to die down, only continuing once Olivia smiled and squeezed his hand in encouragement.

"You've given me so much—your trust, your love, a sense of finally belonging, of having something really real, ya know?" He paused then and looked pointedly at Noah, before meeting her eyes again and continuing earnestly.

"I'll never take it, or you, for granted. I wanna spend all the time we have together, from this second forward, makin' up for all the time we didn't get," he whispered huskily, thinking of the years that were wasted. He let go of her hand to cup her cheek, his thumb wiping a tear as it fell from her eyelashes. "I wanna make up for all the times I coulda been kissing you—"

"—But not yet," Munch interjected, drawing snickers from the guests and Olivia, who pulled his hand from her face and kissed his fingers before letting them hang between their bodies again. "Carry on…" John prodded.

"You're just…everything, Liv," Ed breathed, drawing a fresh round of tears from Olivia's eyes. "Everything I ever wanted but didn't think I deserved, and then some. I love you," he said emphatically. "So much more than I even thought it was possible to love another person. I love you for all the ways you amaze me every day—your strength, your heart, how much you love Noah; and all the ways you drive me crazy," he smiled.

"Watch it," she warned with a wink, squeezing his hand in hers.

Ed grinned, stepping forward and resting his forehead against hers. "Jesus, Liv, I really wish I could kiss you right now," he whispered, ignoring John's not-so-subtle throat clearing behind them. "Thank you for letting me be a father to Noah, for giving me a family, for trusting me to take care of you…both of you. It's the privilege of my life to get to be the one who stands beside you. I'm gonna make sure, every day, that I'm the kind of man you deserve to have at your side through it all."

"I love you," Olivia whispered, her voice catching from the tears lodged in her throat.

"Who has the rings?"

Olivia squeezed Noah's hand as a subtle reminder. "I da best man," he exclaimed, thrusting a fist with the ring box into the air, which Ed took from him before giving him a high-five.

"You did so good, baby." Olivia palmed Noah's head as she watched Ed remove the rings, careful not to drop them. He kept the one he was going to place on her finger, handing his to Noah until they were ready for it. "Hold on to that for me, okay? Hold tight."

"I got it, Daddy."

"I know ya do, kiddo," Ed chuckled.

John smiled, looked at Ed inquisitively, and waited for the groom to nod, signaling they were ready. Ed took Olivia's left hand in both of his. "Ed, do you take Olivia to be your wife?" John asked, repeating the agreed-upon abridged version of this step.

"I do," Ed said confidently. His eyes didn't move from Olivia's as he slid the platinum band onto her finger, squeezing her hand in his and lifting it to his lips when he was done.

"Olivia?"

"Can Mommy have the ring, baby?" Olivia asked Noah, her voice thick with tears. She whispered _thank you_ when Noah handed it to her, taking Ed's hands in hers just as he had done.

"Do you take Ed to be your husband?"

"God, yes, I do," she breathed, sliding the ring onto his finger amid chuckles from their guests. She'd swore she heard a familiar whistle, but put it in the back of her mind while she absorbed the fact that they were one step— _one step_ —from officially being husband and wife.

"If there are no objections…"

"John," Ed and Olivia warned him simultaneously.

"Not that kinda crowd. Okay…" he bounced on the balls of his feet. "Just because you both outrank me," he muttered, pausing until it felt like Ed and Olivia were about to fall over from anticipation. "I guess, by the power vested in me by the great state of New York…. just _kiss her already_."

The words were barely out of his mouth before Olivia felt Ed's hands grip her face, his lips crashing into hers as he pulled her into a tender, but decidedly passionate kiss. He felt her lips part against his and didn't waste the opportunity to suck at her lower lip. Olivia released a low moan into his mouth, her hands firmly gripping the material of his blazer, using it for leverage to pull him closer to her as his teeth nibbled at her lip before letting it go.

"I love you," he murmured against her mouth, his hands dropping to her waist as he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.

"Did we really just get married?" Olivia whispered; her tone laced with disbelief.

"We did." Ed nodded, releasing a breathy chuckle. "And I'd do it again, every day," he rasped, kissing her again, pulling away only when Noah started tugging insistently at the bottom of his jacket.

"Noah get kisses, too!" the toddler whined, and Ed lifted him up, holding him between he and Olivia. His wife.

"Noah gets kisses, too," Olivia beamed. She put her hand on Noah's chin, holding his head in place as she and Ed simultaneously leaned in, each planting a big kiss on either cheek, exaggerating the smacking sound as they pulled away.

He wriggled to get free, making a beeline for Jackson, and Ed laced his fingers with Olivia's as their guests—the people closest to them, who had known and loved them both separately, and now together—descended upon them with congratulations.

It was like an out-of-body experience, like they were watching it happen from somewhere in the clouds. She hadn't known happiness of this magnitude existed and she was overwhelmed, feeling so much love from so many people all at once.

Olivia's eyes met Ed's in the craziness, her hand still gripping his tightly. And like she knew they'd be doing every day for the rest of their lives, they had an entire conversation with just their eyes, not a word uttered between them.

 _It's all worth it, for you and I._

 **##**

 **A/N: Fret not… we still have some things to resolve.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Please forgive any mistakes…and the fact that it's taken me an ungodly amount of time to update this story. Hope it's worth the wait.**

##

It was pushing ten o'clock by the time the last of the guests made their exit, leaving just the newlyweds and Heather and Ben up on the roof with the boys. Soft music filled the comfortable silence from Bluetooth speakers Heather had set up for their makeshift reception.

The younger woman leaned her head against Ben's shoulder, stifling a yawn and dangling the legs over the side of the bench they were sitting on. "So, was it everything you thought it would be?"

"Honestly? Even better than I could have imagined," Olivia answered. She smiled at her friend and settled deeper into Ed's embrace. She was perched on his lap in an Adirondack chair they'd pulled out for extra seating earlier. The fingers of their left hands were intertwined, and occasionally, she could feel his lips dot kisses along the skin of her upper arm.

"Well, you ladies did a great job with everything," Ben complimented. "It looks beautiful up here."

"It really does." Olivia agreed wistfully. She smiled, looking around at what remained of their makeshift wedding venue. If possible, it looked even more beautiful in the pale glow of moonlight, under the pergola of white lights she and Heather had painstakingly hung the day before.

In the very spot they sat now, hours earlier, the one wish she'd never imagined she'd get to fulfill came true. Happily ever after had found her at last, and instead of the solitary life she'd resigned herself to, she would spend the rest of her days beside the man who loved her like she never could have anticipated. She took a deep, cleansing breath, her body going slack in Ed's embrace as years worth of weight seemed to slide right off her shoulders.

Ed's right arm squeezed her tighter around her waist and a smile spread across her lips instantaneously when she felt his warm breath against her ear. "You okay?"

She gently squeezed his fingers intertwined with hers, letting her head drop back to rest on his shoulder and she nuzzled her cheek against his. "I've never been better."

Heather watched as Ed and Olivia spoke in hushed whispers, their gentle caresses coming more frequently.

"Hey guys," she broached, getting their attention. "How about we take Noah home with us tonight?"

"Oh, no." Olivia shook her head. "I can't ask you to do that. We'll be fine."

"You're not asking and it's not a big deal," Heather insisted sincerely. She looked over at the boys, who were asleep on opposite ends of a bench a few feet away, draped in their dad's blazers.

Olivia shifted and looked down at Ed to see what he thought of the idea, not knowing that he'd approached Heather earlier and asked if she could do just _one_ more thing for them.

"It's just one night," he reasoned, shrugging and shooting Heather a clandestine wink. "We'll go get him tomorrow morning."

"I don't know…"

"Come _on_ ," Heather prodded in exasperation. "If anyone deserves a proper wedding night, it's you two."

Olivia blushed, covering her face with her free hand, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "You're not right," she teased her friend.

"You love me, and you know it," Heather retorted, eyeing her friend intensely as she awaited her decision.

Olivia smiled warmly as she gave in. "If you're _sure_ you don't mind…"

"I am, and it's settled." Heather clapped her hands together and stood up. "Now, it's getting late, and some of us actually plan on going to sleep soon," she teased as Ed and Ben gathered the boys and the two families made their way toward the elevator

##

"Jesus, Heather, with the bobby pins…" Olivia muttered under her breath, bending over and running her fingers through her hair to shake the strands loose. She heard Ed approach and turned her head to look at him through a curtain of her hair. "Everything go okay?"

Ed nodded, his hands in his pockets and his head tilted to meet her eyes as he stood in the doorway. "Didn't even flinch when I buckled him in," Ed chuckled.

"It was nice of them to take him," Olivia commented.

He hummed in agreement and watched her silently for a moment as she unearthed another pin, putting it in the growing mountain on the bathroom counter. "What're you doin'?" he asked curiously.

"I think Heather put every bobby-pin that's ever been made into my hair for tonight," Olivia grumbled, finally flipping her hair and standing up straight to face him. "I finally just got them all out."

Gazing at her wistfully, Ed shook his head, still making no move to get closer to her. "Beautiful," he marveled gravelly, his eyes traveling from her head to the peek of her bare feet he could see beneath the hem of the white dress she still wore.

Olivia stepped forward, taking his left hand in her right and running her fingers briefly over the ring that now adorned his finger as she leaned in to kiss him tenderly.

"Any chance you can help me out of this dress, Captain?" she purred.

"Absolutely," he said resolutely.

Olivia smiled, turning her back and moving her hair out of the way so he could access the zipper. She stood still for a few seconds, glancing over her shoulder at him with a perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched in question when she realized he hadn't moved. "Ed?"

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he looked back at her, nothing but love in his eyes as, slowly, he made his way toward her. She smiled back, turning to face away from him again and shivered slightly when a calloused hand landed on her shoulder, fingertips tracing light patterns on the bare skin of her upper back.

"Ed," she breathed, clearly affected. "Please…"

He stepped up behind her until his front was practically flush with her back, hands massaging her shoulders before drifting down to wrap around her waist. "I love this dress," he whispered in her ear, feeling her whole body shudder against his. "And I can't wait to take it off of you." He sensed she was about to interrupt, so he squeezed her lightly around her middle, pressing a kiss to her ear before sliding down to her neck, whispering, "But," kiss, "not," kiss, "here."

The groan of disappointment she emitted was instantaneous, and she threw her head back against his shoulder, lolling her face into his neck and breathing him in. "Then where?" Silently, Ed backed away from her just enough to force her to turn around, pulling a small envelope out of the pocket of his dress pants and holding it up in front of her.

Her eyes moved from the envelope to his face and back again. "What did you do?" she sighed, snatching it out of his hands with a small smile.

"Open it," he urged, shrugging one shoulder in encouragement.

Eyeing him warily, Olivia pulled out a folded piece of heavy cardboard containing a key card, fancy script on the front reading _The Surrey_.

Wordlessly, she met Ed's eyes, still gripping the key card tightly in one hand, the other resting on his chest now, and he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "I know we're not going on a formal honeymoon yet, but…" he shrugged, trailing off. "We're only gonna have one wedding night, Liv. I wanted it to be special for you."

The look in his eyes was so sincere it was overwhelming. Olivia pulled him into a tight hug. "You make everything special," she whispered in his ear.

He returned the hug, murmuring words of love in her ear before she pulled back, cupping his cheek. "So, do I need to pack a bag, or…?"

Ed shook his head quickly, trying and failing to suppress a proud. "S'taken care of."

"How…?" Olivia wondered aloud, before leveling him with a knowing smirk as she pieced things together. "So, I gather that Heather didn't offer to take Noah out of the kindness of her heart?"

"No, she did," Ed said. "I just might've encouraged her a little," he added with an innocent shrug and a smirk.

Olivia chuckled, whispering, "You're just…" before pulling him into another kiss, murmuring against his lips, "so amazing."

##

 _The Surrey_ was an upscale hotel situated on the Upper East Side, just a block away from Central Park. Consistently featured as one of the city's best and most romantic hotels, Olivia had heard of it, but she'd never been.

Ed trailed closely behind her, their fingers loosely intertwined, as she _oohed_ and _ahhed_ through the lobby toward the elevators. Stepping into one of them, Olivia balked when he pressed the penthouse button. "Ed…"

Meeting her eyes, Ed tugged her deeper into his side to keep her from pushing. "I called in a few favors," he muttered in explanation. "Don't worry about it."

She eyed him warily for a moment and he fought the urge to roll his eyes when her mouth opened to refute his dismissal. Blessedly, he was saved when the elevator chimed and the doors slid open to reveal a small enclave.

Ed ushered her off the vessel first and quickly followed with their small overnight bag, leading the way toward the furthest door. He opened it and dropped their bag just inside, his hand finding its way to the small of her back as she tentatively followed him, still shooting him reprimanding looks as it became more and more obvious what this suite must have cost him—even for just a night.

"God, this is _beautiful_ , Ed…" she sighed. While the decor in the lobby had been on the modern side, in the penthouse, it was more traditional—more intricacy in the detail and fewer clean lines; but still, definitely upscale. Olivia's fingertips ghosted over the surface of a large armoire in the bedroom and she turned to Ed, cocking her head to the side. "It almost reminds me of—"

"Paris?" he asked helpfully. He pushed off the doorframe into the bedroom, where he'd been watching her take everything in, and moved to stand in front of her, loosely taking her hands in his and dangling them at their sides. "That little bed and breakfast we stayed at that one night before we went home?"

Ed had surprised her then, too, booking a night for the three of them at a quaint cottage bed and breakfast in the country. It had been so quiet—the perfect setting to relax and unplug a little before getting back to the grind in New York. Space had been tight, as small as that place was, but it couldn't have been more perfect to Olivia, getting to spend that quality time with both Ed and Noah.

"Yes," she breathed. "I mean," she looked around, lacing her fingers in his and playfully tugging his hands, "this is _that_ , but... on steroids…"

Ed chuckled, wrapping his arms around her completely and pressing a kiss to her temple. "I thought the same thing," he admitted.

They held each other silently for a moment, swaying in the center of the room, before he heard her muffled voice in his ear. "Are you sure we can afford this?"

Smirking, he let out a sigh of playful frustration, knowing full well when he booked this suite that she was going to have a hard time getting past the monetary element. "It's taken care of, Liv," he promised. He released her from their hug only slightly, just enough to push her hair behind her ear as his eyes met hers, their faces only inches apart. "Just enjoy it," he rasped, his voice already betraying his affectedness at her proximity, finally feeling the full weight of the last few hours as it sunk in that they were really here… the day really happened, and finally, they were husband and wife.

Olivia brought her hands to rest on his sides, over his shirt but beneath his jacket, and nuzzled her nose against his. "I love you," she whispered, before closing the minimal distance between their lips with a whimper.

##

The process of undoing Olivia's dress was methodical, Ed moving so painstakingly slowly that it felt like an eternity had passed before she felt the material give enough to slide over her hips and bunch around her knees on the floor.

Ed crouched down, offering his shoulder for her to use for stability as she stepped out and over the garment. Knowing the gown was significantly more than _just a dress_ , he carefully picked it up rather than let it lay rumpled on the floor while he ravaged her. If it was possible, the action made her love him more. "Don't move," he muttered in her ear, taking the dress and laying it over the chaise lounge in the corner of the room.

Turning back toward her, he stopped short, his eyes taking in the sight of her standing there in a crème colored strapless bra and panty set. Undoubtedly chosen for this occasion, the crème popped against her darkened skin, and Ed felt his mouth run dry.

"Jesus, Liv…" he moaned as he approached her. "Gorgeous," he muttered into the skin of her neck. He breathed in the intoxicating scent of her perfume and tasted the saltiness of her skin from all the dancing she'd done earlier.

He felt her hands all over his torso, fingernails lightly scraping down his bare back before sliding to his sides. After the first kiss, Olivia had taken the lead, working quickly on removing his clothes like they hadn't been together in weeks rather than the hours it actually was.

Olivia moaned as Ed's hands traveled from her waist, up her stomach, gently cupping her breasts before reaching behind her and expertly unclasping her bra. Seconds later, the garment was added to the growing pile of their clothing on the floor and Olivia's head fell to Ed's shoulder when his hands cupped her full breasts, squeezing them gently, his thumbs teasing her nipples.

"Ed," she breathed. Olivia lolled her head to the side as he rained kisses down her neck and along her shoulder, creating a pattern with her freckles that only he could follow. "Stop teasing me."

"Not teasing," he argued. He bit her shoulder, smirking as she gasped in surprise. He lowered his hands to her hips, gently guiding her backward until she was perched on the edge of the platform bed. " _Loving_ ," he corrected her with a tender kiss, his tongue just barely peeking out to flick her lower lip. "I'm just lovin' you, baby."

Olivia rolled her eyes impatiently, biting her bottom lip to hide her smile as she hopped up onto the mattress and spread her legs, making room for his hips between her thighs. "Can you…" she leaned forward and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his chest, "love me," another kiss, "faster?"

Ed closed his eyes tightly, threading his fingers through the soft waves of her hair as she continued to lavish attention to his chest. "Mm," he hummed, brow furrowing as her teeth scraped the skin over his collarbone. He shook his head just once, though she was otherwise occupied and couldn't see him. "We have forever for that. I wanna savor this… Savor _you."_

His words melted her heart, and her mouth migrated up his neck, one hand coming up to the back of his head so she could more easily reach the spot that always rendered him putty in her hands. She felt him shudder against her and she sucked the hot skin under her lips.

"Now who's teasing…?" Ed nearly growled. He gripped her hair more tightly in his hands, tugging gently to pull her back so he could once again see her face. Cupping her cheek, he leaned down to take her lips in a searing kiss, mouths open and tongues dueling sensually.

"I want you," Olivia gasped, breaking the kiss. She rested her forehead against his briefly before tilting up her head back to meet his eyes. He descended again, his lips almost to hers, when she disappeared from in front of him and he opened his eyes to find her smirking triumphantly as she slid backward onto the bed. She beckoned him with a come hither gesture. "C'mere."

Olivia settled against the pillows at the head of the bed, watching with hooded eyes as Ed crawled across the mattress to join her. There was a distinctly predatory look in his gaze and a swarm of butterflies fluttered in her stomach, almost like it was their first time all over again—but, in a way, she supposed, it _was._

Ed settled between her open thighs, letting her absorb some of his weight as he held himself up with his forearms on either side of her head. Brown hair fanned across the pillows and Ed fingered the strands, getting lost in her eyes while her fingertips swirled over his sides and up and down his back.

Only her panties and his boxers kept them from being completely skin-on-skin, and Olivia hissed when he shifted, causing her sensitive nipples to scrape against his chest. She watched rapturously as his eyes moved over her face, following the arch of her eyebrows, the aroused flush in her cheeks, her plump lips swollen from his kisses.

 _His wife._

"Hey," she whispered, pulling him from his reverie by gently squeezing the skin on his hips, letting her thumbs dip below the waistband of his boxers. He met her eyes, deep blue meeting brown so dark with arousal they were practically black. "You still with me?"

Ed nodded, skimming his thumb along her cheekbone. "Just…never thought I'd actually have all this, y'know?"

"I know," she nodded. "Me either," she leaned up and kissed him, sucking on his lower lip as she pulled away.

There were a thousand things he could've said in that moment, a thousand things he _wanted_ to say, but feeling her body softly cradling his, her thumbs insistently pushing his boxers over his hips, eager to finish what they'd started, he lowered his forehead to hers and whispered, "I love you so much."

Her reply was lost into his mouth as he descended on her with fervent kisses, and barely a moment went by before the last articles separating them were tossed away. Olivia practically deflated in relief when his naked body hovered over her, hips grinding pleasurably into hers. He intertwined their fingers, lifting her hands above her head and lavishing all the skin he could reach with kisses and love bites.

From that point forward, the only words that interrupted the cacophony of pleasured noises were affirmations of love.

##

It was just barely daybreak when Olivia woke up, only partially covered by the sheets that they had sufficiently rearranged in their lovemaking, the hard muscle of Ed's left arm serving as her pillow.

She blinked slowly, looking out the sliding glass doors to the rooftop they never got a chance to explore as the brightening sun reflected off of nearby buildings. She enjoyed these early-morning hours, listening as the city slowly started to wake up—or, in some cases, just now got to sleep.

They were among the latter group, she supposed, turning gingerly to face her husband of not-yet-24-hours. They had finally succumbed to their exhaustion mere hours ago, some time after round 3.

Olivia propped herself up on an elbow, relishing the opportunity to be the one to stare at him in wonder as he slept. Usually it was she who was awakened by the feel of his gaze, immediately swept into tender touches and sweet kisses that often left them scrambling for clothes before Noah made his entrance. Now, finally, she could return the favor, minus any chance of interruption, and she did so reverently, appreciating how deeply relaxed his face was in sleep.

She smiled as her fingers hovered over a trail of marks she'd left across his chest, laying her palm right over his heart to feel it beat beneath her fingers. Ed twitched but didn't wake, releasing a sleepy sigh and nestling his head deeper into his pillow.

It was almost child-like, the innocence that exuded from him when he was like this, and she suddenly had a deeper understanding of all the times he'd mentioned since their relationship began that he thoroughly enjoyed getting to see the sides of her that no one else did.

No one saw _this_ Ed Tucker. Sated, completely unguarded in sleep. This was all hers.

Still asleep, his head turned toward her, and Olivia couldn't resist the urge to run her thumb along his lips, the ones that melded so perfectly with hers. She leaned in and kissed him tenderly before pulling back, smiling slightly as she gauged his reaction. Seeing none, she leaned in again, this time teasing the seam of his lips with her tongue. This time, he opened to her with a pleasured groan, allowing her in, and she took the opportunity to climb fully on top of him.

When they broke for air moments later, Olivia smiled down at him while he lovingly caressed the tops of her thighs. "You're going to kill me…" he grumbled playfully, blinking up at her slowly.

Olivia leaned down and nuzzled his nose as she shook her head. "You're not going anywhere," she purred. "We still have the rest of our lives ahead of us."

##

" _Mommy!_ "

Olivia crouched down just in time to catch Noah as he catapulted himself into her arms and she squeezed him tight, burying her face into his neck before attacking him with kisses. " _Hi_ , my love," she said warmly, breathing him in. "I missed you!"

"Miss you, too!"

"Did you have a good morning, baby?"

Noah nodded vigorously, "Heather maked us choc-lit pa'cakes and bacon." He moved out of Olivia's embrace, reaching for Ed's hand and smiling up at the older man. "Come, Daddy," he commanded. He tugged Ed's hand, dragging him into the living room where Jackson sat amongst the contents of his toy chest.

Olivia watched them with a smile before turning back to Heather. "Thank you for taking him, and for everything else last night," she said, bringing her friend into a warm hug. "It couldn't have been more perfect."

"It's my pleasure. It was a beautiful night," Heather replied. "You look… _rested,_ " she said, the twinkles in her eyes betraying the fact that she'd much rather have used a very different word.

"How was he?" Olivia gestured at Noah, changing the subject with a blush. In truth, she wasn't _rested_. Not at all. And it was well worth the extra concealer beneath her eyes this morning.

"A little confused when he first woke up," Heather shared with a chuckle. "But after that, he was fine. They've been having fun all morning." She took a careful sip of a fresh cup of coffee and looked at her friend, still watching her son and new husband as they played on the floor. "What are you guys up to today?"

"Probably not much," she divulged. "We might go to the park if the weather's nice… I just want to make the most of this time before it's back to the grind, y'know?"

"Absolutely," Heather nodded. "Enjoy the family time."

Olivia nodded; feeling the familiar sting of emotion behind her eyes as Noah's excited voice suddenly broke through the silence, beckoning her over.

 _Family._

##

"Hey, hot stuff," she purred in his ear. "Can I buy you a drink?"

Olivia laughed when Ed, startled, nearly fell off his barstool. She ran her hands over his shoulders before taking the seat next to him.

"What are you doing here?" he smiled, wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

"What, a wife can't try to surprise her husband for lunch?" she asked teasingly, leaning in and kissing him. "I went by your office but your Sergeant said you were already gone," she told him. "He told me where to find you."

Ed turned on his stool so her legs were between his as they faced each other, and ran his hands up her thighs. "I didn't know how much I liked surprises," he husked, wiggling his eyebrows. Since the wedding, there had been a glow about her, and even now, he was mesmerized by the sparkle in her brown eyes.

"Down boy," she laughed, playfully leaning away. "I meant _lunch_."

"I can eat," he said scandalously.

Olivia blushed. "Oh my God," she laughed. "Finish your sandwich, Ed."

He grinned, turning back to his Club when his phone rang from the counter. He picked up and Olivia watched curiously as his demeanor changed in a matter of seconds from playful to serious.

Glancing at his watch, he muttered _thanks_ into the phone and hung up, pausing to take a breath.

"Ed?" Olivia put a hand on his thigh, craning her neck and leaning down to meet his eyes. "What is it? Everything okay?"

Slowly, he nodded, turning to face her. "That was Donna," he said. "The paternal investigation is done." Olivia's eyes widened. "Judge Linden called a hearing."

"Okay," Olivia said slowly, taking a breath. "When?"

"In about a half hour," he answered her quickly. "Did you drive?"

"No," she said. "You?"

Silently, Ed shook his head in the negative and, without a word, he dropped a twenty on top of his half-eaten club sandwich, took her hand, and together they rushed out of the restaurant and hailed a cab to family court.

##

Construction and lane closures delayed their arrival, and the hearing was already in progress by the time they got to the courthouse, though thankfully, only in the opening comments.

Moving as quickly and quietly as possible, they drifted in and tried not to disturb the active proceedings as they settled into the gallery behind Donna. As they got comfortable, Ed reached over and placed a hand on Olivia's thigh, which she covered with her own, both needing the steadiness the gesture brought.

This was it.

Seeing them enter, Judge Linden smiled. "Captain Tucker, Lieutenant Benson," she greeted. "I hear congratulations are in order…"

Olivia nodded, squeezing Ed's hand on her thigh. "Thank you, your honor," she smiled.

Judge Linden beamed, winking at them before turning her attention back to Donna, her tone back to business. "I understand the search for next-of-kin on the paternal side has been concluded."

"Yes, Judge, it has."

"Please," Judge Linden gestured at the nearly empty courtroom, "share the results with the court."

Ed and Olivia listened in awe as Donna detailed the outcome of the search and the discoveries it yielded.

There had been two hits on Abigail's DNA. One, believed to be her birth father, belonging to a man buried as a John Doe six months earlier. Evidently, he had been found deceased of an overdose and, absent any identification or hits in the system on his fingerprints, was assumed to have been homeless.

The other was a distant familial match to an inmate that was currently serving consecutive life sentences at Sing-Sing. After paying a visit to the prison, investigators determined Abigail's birth father was a half-brother the inmate had never known he had. This was what had lengthened the investigation—trying to determine whether there were any living relatives of the John Doe who could care for or might claim Abigail.

As it turned out, there were none.

"Jesus," Ed hissed quietly. Of all the scenarios he'd imagined for how this would unfold, something as convoluted and… _tragic_ had never entered his mind. Such a young, beautiful girl, saddled with so much baggage, so early.

"I know," Olivia muttered, moving a hand to his back. Ed slipped his arm around her shoulders, hearing the emotion she was holding at bay.

Judge Linden sighed, clasping her hands in front of her and looking down at the case file. "I had hoped for a different outcome," she said resignedly.

"As did we, your honor," Donna agreed.

"I guess I have no choice but to declare Abigail Brooks a ward of the state—" She fell silent and eyed Ed and Olivia in the gallery, smiling fondly as Olivia rubbed Ed's back for comfort. "Unless…"

A pregnant pause followed and Donna observed the judge curiously, following her gaze to the couple that had been a fixture at DCS since Abigail's intake weeks earlier. "Your honor…?" she prodded.

Judge Linden's eyes never strayed from the couple, her smile only widening when Olivia, intrigued, finally looked up and met her gaze.

"I think I may have another hunch."

##

 **Baby steps. Potential time-jump for the next installment; just throwing that out there. If you have any thoughts… * eyes review button ***


	28. Chapter 28

**Just wanted to say thanks for the continued support for this story. I've been writing it for over a year and that's just incredible to me. I don't commit to things that aren't cereal.**

 **Anyway, we're picking up with the Tucker family a few weeks after the end of the last chapter. A time jump made the most sense to me to get them where they needed to be and not make you guys wait any longer.**

 **Excuse any mistakes and I hope you enjoy!**

##

"Hey there, Ladybug," Ed cooed, reaching into the pack-and-play to lift the squirming infant into his arms. "What's-a-matter, huh? You hungry?"

He'd heard her cry over the monitor, the sound pulling him out of dead sleep beside his wife, who was similarly conked out. He stepped out of their bedroom to the living room, where Abby was temporarily relegated to a portable crib until they could finish moving to their new place.

The weeks following the wedding could only be described as a whirlwind. Ed and Olivia had been somewhat blindsided by Judge Linden's hunch, but of the hour recess she'd given them in her chambers to talk it over, they'd needed only two minutes to determine that there was nothing to talk about. It wasn't even a question: Abby was coming home with them.

It had been written in the stars the second she and Ed laid eyes on each other outside the brownstone that day. Some part of him had known that, and Olivia would later confess, so had she—but she'd done her best to keep them both from thinking too far down that road in case the universe had laid out a different path for Abby.

Since they were both adoptive parents already, Ed having signed paperwork to adopt Noah immediately following the wedding, the Judge ordered Abby to their care following only one home visit. A mere formality, she'd told them with a smile. It ended up working out for the best, though, as it gave them time to pull Noah's old baby things out of storage. As much as they longed to take her home that first day, right after the hearing, they were ill prepared to have another baby in the house so soon. That, and the fact that Noah had no idea that in the course of an afternoon, they'd made him a big brother.

Ed bounced on his knees as he gingerly side-stepped boxes on the way to the fridge, plugging in the bottle warmer—that and the coffee-maker being the only two appliances deemed too essential to be packed away—and whispering soothing words into Abby's ear. He felt gentle puffs of air against his neck as she settled her head on his shoulder and he smiled, continuing to prepare her bottle.

"That's my baby girl," he whispered.

Abby picked her head up, reaching up to grasp his cheeks and throwing her weight to lean around him. "Hi," she squealed.

Ed chuckled, shushing her. "Hi, 'Bug," he whispered, kissing the side of her head. "Ya gotta be quiet so we don't wake up Mommy and Noah."

"Too late." Ed turned around at the sound of Olivia's tired rasp, finding his wife standing in the kitchen in a thin camisole and a pair of his boxers, a sleepy smile on her face and her arms outstretched to take Abby from his arms.

"Hi," Abby repeated as Olivia settled the girl on her hip. She tapped her index finger on her nose.

"Hi, sweet girl," Olivia murmured.

Ed stepped up to them, running his fingers through Abby's soft curls before leaning in to kiss her head, then Olivia's temple. "Sorry we woke ya."

Olivia shook her head. "I felt you get out of bed," she assured him, leaning her shoulder into his chest. "Thought I'd come out and see if you needed help." She yawned widely, chuckling when Abby tried to stick pudgy fingers into her open mouth. "You want me to eat your fingers, baby girl? How 'bout these cheeks? I could eat these cheeks…" She playfully growled, leaning in and attacking her daughter with kisses, making the girl scrunch up her shoulders and giggle adorably in her attempts to escape the attention.

"Don't get her all riled up, Liv," Ed warned, chuckling as he tested the temperature of the formula before screwing the cap onto the bottle. "We all gotta be awake again in…" he craned his head, squinting to see the clock in the living room, "three hours?" He groaned.

"We'll be fine," Liv said, unfazed, speaking to her husband but nuzzling Abby's nose as she made her way toward the couch, Ed trailing behind her with the bottle. She waited for him to sit down on one end of the couch before she did, nestling into him with her back to his chest as she took the bottle from his hand and brought it to Abby's lips. She smiled when the infant latched on immediately. "There you go, sweet girl," she whispered.

As Abby drank, Olivia watched, enthralled, as her eyelids drooped over crystal blue eyes, fighting sleep to remain in a curious locked gaze with her mother.

Olivia caught a flailing arm and softly rubbed the back of a pudgy fist as she let her head fall back against Ed's shoulder. She released a tired, contented sigh and smiled when she felt the responding grunt against her back.

"Don't fall asleep out here," she cautioned, letting her own eyes fall shut.

"One night on the couch won't kill me," Ed grumbled sleepily.

"Oh yeah?" Olivia teased, "What if I had plans for you once we get this one back down?"

She lifted an eyebrow, though he couldn't see it from his position, biting her lip when he cleared his throat behind her. "I'll be up."

Letting out a quick snort of laughter, she nudged him with an elbow to the stomach. "I'll bet," she quipped suggestively.

As Abby drank diligently from the bottle, Olivia surveyed the carnage of their living room. Boxes in various stages of being packed where strewn randomly, hazardously, in some cases, amongst kids' toys—some Noah's, who despite reprimanding, hadn't put them away, and some new additions for Abby.

It was a mess, but it was _their_ mess.

"Can you believe it's only been a few weeks since the wedding?" Olivia asked wistfully a few moments later, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled around them.

"Sick of me already?" Ed joked behind her, running his fingers up and down her upper arm.

Olivia huffed out a laugh, then turned serious. "Just the opposite, actually." She closed her eyes when she felt a soft kiss on her temple. "I've been waiting for this my whole life. And now it's finally here." She paused. "It hits me in waves sometimes, how lucky we are."

Ed hummed his agreement, pressing his cheek to the top of her head. "I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too."

She looked down, finding Abby's eyes closed, her mouth no longer working against the nipple of the bottle, and she tapped Ed's thigh as she carefully moved forward to stand.

"Got her?" Ed whispered,

"Yeah." Olivia felt his hand settle warmly on her hip as he came up behind her, watching as she lowered the sleeping infant into the pack-and-play. She delicately lowered a pacifier to the pursed lips of their baby girl, smiling gently when Abby took it without waking.

Ed reached around her, gently pushing blonde wisps of hair off of Abby's forehead.

"Goodnight, my Ladybug. Mommy and Daddy love you."

##

Silently, they navigated the maze of clutter on the way back to their bedroom. They remained silent as they climbed back beneath the comforter on their bed before releasing twin sighs of contentment. _Or was it exhaustion?_ _Both?_

Olivia watched with a small smile as Ed's eyes fell shut, then sat up slightly, removing her camisole, and turning into Ed's body. She threaded a leg between his and wrapped an arm around his waist beneath the blanket, tucking her face into his neck and teasing the skin there with little nips and sucks.

"The human alarms are going to get us up soon," she whined, "but… _I want you,"_ she finished huskily.

Ed's eyes remained closed, but a smirk curled the corner of his lips as he warned her, rasping, "We're gonna be exhausted tomorrow…"

He contradicted his words, though, when he gripped her hips and pulled her body onto his, shapely thighs resting on either side of his hips.

"We're the parents of two kids under the age of five," she deadpanned, running her hands up and down his covered chest as she settled over him. "I think it's safe to say we'll be exhausted for the foreseeable future," she fired back.

"That's a good point," Ed chuckled. He opened his eyes to slits, looking up at her as his hands traversed up her sides to tease her breasts as her hips moved over his slowly. His breathing quickened as his manhood stirred to life under her undulating hips.

And then, she stopped.

"Were you seriously going to say _no_?" she asked, smiling incredulously down at him as his earlier words registered in her sleep-deprived mind.

Smartly, Ed shook his head, thumbing her nipples and chuckling when the action elicited a muted yelp from his wife. "Nah," he teased. "Just makin' sure you knew what you were gettin' into…"

Olivia smirked devilishly, rolling her hips over his with more force and watching his jaw clench in restraint. "Oh," she said seductively. "I know _exactly_ what I'm getting into…"

Before he could utter another word, Olivia leaned over and covered his lips with hers, letting her hands drift beneath the material of his t-shirt and tugging at it, prompting him to sit up slightly so it could be removed.

Their breathing became labored and Olivia sat back, maneuvering herself out of his boxers that she wore and helping him remove his own shorts before she climbed back on top of him. She paused for a moment then, delighting in feeling him skin-on-skin; a sensation she was sure would never grow old.

Ed ran his hands over every inch of her skin he could reach, blue eyes darkening as he drank her in. "You're gorgeous," he told her, and the honesty in his eyes made her skin prickle with goose bumps.

Olivia smiled, deflecting the compliment, letting her fingers trail lazily down to his lower stomach and lightening her touch until she knew she was driving him crazy. "This might be the last time we're together like this, in this apartment _,"_ she reminded him, shifting her hips over his again and feeling him harden even more beneath her.

"Guess we better make it count," he said huskily. He reached up, gripping the back of her neck and pulling her down to meet his lips, smiling against her squeal of surprise when he rolled them over so she was now on her back beneath him. Holding himself up with his hands on either side of her head, his eyes darted between her brown ones, irises almost black with arousal, and he smirked proudly as she worked to catch her breath.

She rested the soles of her feet on the back of his calves, gripping his hips in her hands and pulling his body down until his heated skin was pressed to hers, making them both moan lightly. She clutched his biceps when he lowered himself down onto his forearms, their noses touching as they regarded each other captivatedly.

Despite her attempt to keep her eyes squarely on him, her eyelids fluttered shut of their own accord when he slid inside her moments later, her fingers tightening around his upper arms as her breath got caught in her throat.

He moved over her slowly, his hips swinging like a pendulum, hitting all her spots and making her writhe beneath him as she struggled to stay quiet against the onslaught of pleasure that was threatening to overtake her. Their panting breaths co-mingled in the minimal space between their parted lips, and when he finally pushed her over the edge, she threw her head back into the pillows; his body bending to her will and following her over while she twitched and trembled beneath him, still in the throes of her release.

"Mmm," Olivia hummed, lazily tracing the ridges of his spine with the light touch of her fingertips. She used what minimal strength she could summon to lift her head just far enough to kiss along the line of his shoulder as he breathed into her neck, coming down from his climax. "Big day tomorrow," she mused.

"Today," he quipped, correcting her. He laughed when she groaned tiredly, her body shifting restlessly beneath his and prompting him to flop onto the mattress beside her. They nestled on their sides; bodies pressed close together, legs intertwined. She blinked slowly, her lips stretching into a sleepy smile as he pushed a rogue sweat-dampened lock of brown hair off her forehead and behind her ear.

"That was… a _really_ good way to close this chapter," she said, her voice throaty as sleep filtered in.

Ed hummed his agreement, pressing a quick kiss to her damp forehead. "Onto the next…"

##

When their family unit went from three to four, what had started as a casual house hunt for more space became a necessary one. No longer could their family comfortably live in the retrofitted apartment she'd shared with Brian. Not only was Noah's room almost too small for _him,_ let alone him and a baby sister, they couldn't subject him to late-night bouts of crying and all the joys of having a new infant sister would inevitably bring.

Before they had even officially brought Abby home, they hit the ground running with Draper's sister Yvonne, in a hurry to find something in their price range that would not only accommodate their family, but would give them a little bit of space to grow into as the kids got older.

They'd gotten incredibly lucky.

A few days into their search, Yvonne had heard tell of a townhouse, not yet listed, that the owner was willing to lease with the option to purchase in the future, as they were taking an overseas assignment for work that may or may not turn into something permanent.

It was a few blocks uptown but in a great neighborhood, at a workable price-point and Ed and Olivia didn't hesitate. It was almost too good to be true.

And now, it was moving day, and Olivia hauled the last of the boxes from the back of Ben's truck inside, letting the front door shut behind her.

She made her way through the foyer and down a small hallway before turning left into the kitchen, where Heather was slowly unpacking a box of glassware and putting things away in the cabinets that Olivia had previously designated. Her friend was moving at a snail's pace, constantly distracted by Jackson, Noah and Abby, who were playing in the living room under the watchful eye of Lucy, just on the other side of the island.

Seeing Olivia walk in, Heather jerked her head in the direction of the kids. "Look at them," she grinned.

Noah sat Indian-style in front of his sister, small hands covering his eyes. "Where Abby?" he asked, giggling, before yelling, "Peek'boo!" He uncovered his eyes, laughing when Abby did. "'Dere she is!"

Lucy caught Olivia's eye and winked, and they both turned back to the little boy. "You go now," he told the infant. "Where Noah?" he mimed covering his eyes, and Abby tried to follow suit, putting her hands on her forehead instead, her eyes still on the toddler. " _Nooo_ ," he cackled. "'Dat not right."

In the kitchen, Heather put her hand on her heart, shaking her head as she smiled at Olivia. "They are too much. I can't take it."

"We got so lucky," Olivia mused, breaking down an empty box and setting it aside. "They get along like they were meant to be brother and sister."

"Because they were," Heather said confidently, not missing a beat. "Everything happens for a reason, right?" she shrugged, pinching Olivia's side as she walked behind her in search of another kitchen box to unpack. "You finding Noah, you and Ed _finally_ getting your shit together…" Heather rolled her eyes dramatically. "And then Ed finding Abby—" she paused, "Or maybe I should say _Abby_ finding _Ed_ …"

"We all kinda found each other," Olivia said softly, smiling as she watched her babies play in the next room.

They were four puzzle pieces, once broken and lost, who found each other and somehow fit together perfectly; as Heather said, like they were meant to be. With Abby, the puzzle, their family, was now truly complete.

She was so proud of Noah and the grace with which he'd handled all the change that had taken place in their lives of late. Granted, all of it was _good_ change, but she admired the way he just took it in stride. He never questioned Abby's presence in their lives; she was just a part of the family now, just like Mommy and Daddy were—a new stick figure to include on the family portraits he drew that adorned both her and Ed's offices.

And while he could've ignored the baby girl in favor of playing something with his friend, he always seemed to have the presence of mind to include her in whatever he and Jackson did. His baby sister.

Distantly, Olivia could hear laughter and the sounds of tools coming from upstairs, where Ed and Ben were working hard ( _or_ , she supposed, _hardly working_ ) to get the kid's rooms situated so there was at least a sense of doneness and stability for the little ones. Everything else could wait.

"Hey." Heather sidled up to her friend, noticing her swipe at a lone tear hanging stubbornly on the end of her eyelash. "There's no crying in moving," she quipped lowly, nudging Olivia with her shoulder.

"Yeah, well…" Olivia shrugged with a shy smile, surreptitiously watching the kids as she returned to the task of unpacking with renewed purpose, making light conversation with Heather as they worked.

She was eager to get settled in; eager to dive headfirst into this new phase of life, to help their kids explore the new house and make new memories.

Olivia had lived a lot of life in her years up to this point; she knew Ed could say the same. But as she watched the kids play innocently in the next room, providing a soundtrack of giggles and squeals that paired surprisingly nicely with the music emanating from Heather's phone, something told her that the best years of her life were yet to come.

##

"Is it just me," Olivia began, carrying two glasses filled with wine out of the kitchen and into the living room where Ed waited for her on the couch. "Or does our furniture _swim_ in these rooms?"

Heather, Ben and Jackson had departed shortly after the big stuff was done, giving Ed and Olivia most of the evening to get the kids fed and situated before tucking them in for the first night in the new house. All the excitement of moving had tired them out so much that they were both fast asleep before Olivia was halfway through with the story Noah had chosen, and there hadn't been a peep or movement on the monitors from either child since.

Ed chuckled, taking a glass from her and beckoning her to rest against him. "I know what ya mean," he agreed roughly. "I knew it was bigger… just didn't realize how _much_ bigger it was."

"Good problem to have," she mused, recalling the opposite being true when she and Brian had moved into the apartment together.

Olivia rested her head against Ed's shoulder, leaning back to look at him with sleepy eyes. She smiled softly when he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We'll fill it up in no time." Her eyes fluttered shut, and Ed nudged her playfully. "Hope you're not too tired," he husked.

She opened one eye. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

Ed left her in suspense as he put first his, then her wine glass on the coffee table before reaching up to cup her cheeks in both of his hands. He pressed their lips together, his teeth sinking into her plump lower lip and tugging as he slowly pulled away. "'Cause we got a lot of christening to do…"

Olivia hummed, letting her lips rest against his, pecking repeatedly before she gripped the side of his head and trailed kisses along his strong jaw. Ed growled when she pulled the lobe of his ear between her lips.

"Every room," he promised, moving his hands down her body and guiding her backward onto the couch. "Every _surface_ in every room."

He hovered over her, and she raised her eyebrows in surprise as she looked up at him, running her hands up and down his clothed sides. "Every surface?" she grinned. "That's awfully ambitious."

"Eh," Ed dismissed, lowering his lips to her neck and settling between her legs as she parted them for him. "It's the rules."

Olivia laughed breathily. "The rules, huh? Sounds important. When should we start?"

"We can start right now," Ed growled playfully, kissing his way up her neck and along her jaw. "If you'd just," kiss, "stop," kiss, "talkin'…"

His mouth finally claimed hers and she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck as his tongue slipped between her lips to spar with hers.

Olivia arched her back when his hand landed on her bra-clad breast beneath the old t-shirt she wore, and she broke the kiss with a gasp. She reached down for the hem of his shirt and was halfway through pulling it over his head when they heard Noah call for them through the monitor, his voice thick with unshed tears.

Exasperated, Ed let his head drop to her shoulder with a groan, and she laughed, pulling his shirt back down. "Hold that thought," she whispered huskily, kissing the side of his head before wriggling to get out from under him.

He followed her as she made her way down the hall toward the kids' rooms, squeezing her fingers lightly and smirking. "So it begins…"

"And we're gonna love every second of it," Olivia winked. "Besides…know what the best part is of getting interrupted?" she asked him coyly.

Ed shook his head, "What's that?"

Hovering outside Noah's bedroom door, she put her hand on the knob, looking over her shoulder and giving Ed a suggestive smile. She leaned closer to him, her eyes practically melting him on the spot with her smolder, and whispered, "Starting over."

##

 **When I started writing this chapter, I planned on this being** _ **it**_ **for this story… but it doesn't feel like "The End" to me—what do you think?**


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